The Chocolate Touch
by Georgie1
Summary: BROE and Chocolate. What more do you need? More Broe fluff ;)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I disclaim! I own none of the characters in this fic!  
  
Be forewarned: You don't have to think too much when reading this fic! Isn't that great? LOL  
  
  
  
The Chocolate Touch  
  
A/U Fic. Chloe and Brady have only met once briefly but don't really recall really meeting each other. But Chloe has seen many pictures of Brady, having been best friends with Belle since senior year of HS and being engaged to Brady's uncle Philip. Brady lives in New York and runs the New York branch of Basic Black but was called back by John to run the main offices in Salem. Chloe owns a candy shop named "The Sweet Bar." She has lived in Salem since she was 18 years old and her mother Nancy Wesley found her and brought her here. It took time but now she gets along fine with Nancy and Craig.  
  
Chapter 1:  
  
Sick of the continual stops and starts of the busy elevators, Chloe Lane exited and jogged excitedly up the stairs of the Titan Offices from floor 33 to 40. She reached floor forty in record time, but out of breath she clutched the door handle. After blowing out a few calming breaths, she opened to door of the stairwell and walked along the hallway that led to her fiancé's office. She hoped he wasn't in a meeting or something. She'd hate to interrupt him during work especially for something so silly as a detail about their wedding. She'd found a great caterer and wanted to tell him all about it. Her face crinkled in puzzlement, though, when she noticed his secretary Cynthia wasn't behind her desk like she usually was. "Strange," she murmured. Seeing the door to his office closed, she debated whether she should interrupt him or not. 'Oh what the hell,' she thought and was about to open the door when she heard muffled voices from coming from inside. Hmmm.well maybe 'voices' wasn't exactly the right word. They were more like moans. Chloe didn't think twice when she pushed open the door and got the shock of her life: her fiancé and his secretary were on his desk, naked and pounding into each other like she wasn't even in the room. "Oh G-d," she heard herself yell, causing Philip to jump off of Cynthia.  
  
In no attempt to cover himself up, he made a move towards her. "Chloe, I can explain."  
  
"Don't," she held up one a hand to stop him as the other covered her mouth, still in shock. "You son of a b*tch." The shock of the situation quickly dissipating as a red-hot anger flushed her cheeks. "You son of a b*tch! How could you---Why would you---" She couldn't find the words. Tears sprung up in her eyes and she had to blink a few times as they burned, having mixed with the heavy mascara she wore. But she wouldn't cry. Well, she wouldn't cry in front of him anyway. She wouldn't allow him to see that. So she ran. Completely distraught, she could vaguely hear Philip try and call her back as she waited for an elevator to open up.  
  
"Chloe," he ran out into the hallway as he tried to pull up his briefs just as the elevator doors opened.  
  
Chloe stepped into the full elevator, ignoring all the shocked gasps and snickers directed at her and her fiancé, their half naked boss: Philip Kiriakis.  
  
"Chloe, wait. Let me explain." Suddenly aware of his state of undress, he decided against entering the elevator and having this out with her. "Chloe, I love you. Please come back inside the office and we'll talk about this reasonably." He kept his finger on the elevator button to keep it from closing. "She means nothing to me."  
  
She pushed passed him and ran to the stairwell, running blindly down the steps, ignoring his desperate calls for her to wait.  
  
*****************  
  
Meanwhile.  
  
Brady Black stepped into the terminal at Salem International Airport and headed for the rent-a-car station. He'd had an absolutely horrible morning. His head was pounding. And his throat was raw from having spent most of the plane ride throwing up in the restroom. Okay, okay so it was due to the insane amount of alcohol he'd consumed last night at a farewell party thrown for him right in the heart of New York City. That's right. He was suffering from the most intense hangover of his life.well almost the most intense but more about that later.  
  
He'd had cause to get plastered last night though. He was leaving New York City for Salem, leaving the city that never sleeps for the city that was never awake. All this because his father was taking a long needed vacation and was planning on cutting his time back at running Basic Black's Salem office anyway. John only felt comfortable with Brady running the main office and so had had him transferred from running the branch in New York to maintaining the Salem office for him. Brady was pissed, to say that least. I mean what was here for him in Salem anyway? Sure his family was here but they were all close and married and happy and well Brady just. wasn't. He thought he might be once. Three years ago, he'd been engaged to his college sweetheart: Patricia. They'd spent all of their time together, been in love, been happy. Or at least he thought so until one morning he'd come back to New York after paying a little visit to his family in Salem. There she was: in his apartment, in his bed, with his best friend Mike. That was it for him. Love was a crock. It didn't exist. After getting completely shit-faced drunk and suffering through the most intense hangover of his life he'd surrounded himself with beautiful women and played the part of the happy-go-lucky bachelor. Though, inside, he wasn't happy, believed he never would be. And that was that.  
  
"What do you mean it's declined?" Behind dark sunglasses, Brady stared at the rent-a-car attendant as if he was growing a third eye.  
  
"Well, sir, I tried it twice and it says declined, maxed out. Do you have another card?"  
  
"No, I don't have another card."  
  
"Well I.sir I," the flustered, effeminate man behind the counter shrugged.  
  
"Hold on," Brady blew out a frustrated breath. He turned to look for his money and a card in his carryon luggage, and it wasn't there. "Oh great," he gritted out sarcastically. Six years he'd lived in New York, six years, and not once had he been pick-pocketed. And here it took one trip to Salem and someone had managed to swipe his carryon bag.  
  
Ten minutes later, he was driving along the Salem streets in his rent-a- car. He'd had to call his father for a little help. He really hated doing that. So he'd declined John's offer for a limo and told him that he would pay him back for the rental car when he got settled.  
  
The rain pounded furiously making it difficult to see much of anything. He had to find Belle's house, which wasn't easy seeing as he had never been to her new home that she shared with her husband, Shawn Brady. 'This is ridiculous,' he thought, as he had to pull out a map of Salem. He'd been able to find his way around Manhattan with a blindfold on and now he couldn't even find his way around Salem, the town he'd grown up in. "Dammit," he bit out as he realized he'd taken a wrong turn.  
  
Meanwhile, Chloe drove in the direction of her best friend Belle's new house. Tears streaming down her cheeks and hiccupping sobs sporadically erupting from her throat, she blindly reached for a tissue in her glove compartment. "Oh, Philip, how could you do this to us," she cried.  
  
If either Brady or Chloe had been in their right mind, if Brady had not been suffering from a hangover, if Chloe had not been hysterical with tears, if there hadn't been a blinding rain obscuring their vision, then they would have been able to prevent what happened next.  
  
"Oh, sh*t," Brady swore as he realized their cars were going to hit and there was no stopping it now.  
  
CRUNCH. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
"F*ck!" Chloe shouted and she jumped out of her red, Mitsubishi Eclipse to inspect the damage to her front bumper. "You idiot!"  
  
"Hey, hold on there, lady," Brady shouted as he got out of his car, the rain soaking them both.  
  
"Look what you did!" She screeched as she pointed at the big dent in her car.  
  
"Me!? Are you insane!? This was a four way stop and you failed to do so!" He pointed to the stop sign and at the similar damage to his silver, rental Pontiac Sunbird.  
  
"As if," she yelled over the rain. "I stopped, looked right and left, and there you come blazing down the street like some freak!" She pushed his chest and beat her fists against him.  
  
He caught her hands and gently pushed her back. "Calm the f*ck down! It's a car! It can be fixed."  
  
"It can't be fixed," she cried sadly. "It's over. It can't be fixed." She began walking back to her car.  
  
'What the hell was this,' is all Brady could think as he watched this loon walk back to her car. "Hold up," he shouted over the rain. "Take this." He handed her a generic Basic Black card with Salem office numbers on it. He would have given her one of his actual business cards with his name, but they all had his New York numbers on it. "Give me a call and we'll get this all settled."  
  
"Whatever," she muttered, not looking at the card as she got back into her car and sped down the street towards Belle's house.  
  
Oh crap, he hadn't even told her his name and now she wouldn't know whom to ask for. It was just as well. "Nutcase," Brady muttered as he got back into the car and drove off in the opposite direction of Chloe, determined to find his sister's house.  
  
***************** "Oh Belle," Chloe cried on her best friend's shoulder as they sat huddled on her couch.  
  
"Chloe, honey, Philip was so not worth it anyway. I mean.well," she trailed off at a loss for words. "You want some tea?"  
  
"Umm.okay," she sniffled.  
  
"Okay," Belle gave her a warm smile and a hug and walked with Chloe to the kitchen, where they sat for twenty minutes trashing Philip.  
  
"Oh you haven't even heard the worst part of my day," Chloe laughed, already cheered up. "I got into a car accident on the way here."  
  
"What," Belle's eyes bugged out as she looked Chloe over expecting to see blood gushing out of her or something.  
  
"It's okay. Really, I'm fine. But the dumba$$ that hit me is so gonna pay."  
  
"Well, was he at least a cute dumbass," Belle asked and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh, please Belle, I have no idea. I kinda had my mind on other things. Besides, look at me. I must have looked like a waterlogged raccoon," she gestured to her puffy eyes rimmed with black mascara that streaked along her face and her tangled hair swept haphazardly in a ponytail.  
  
Belle only laughed, grateful that she had successfully been able to cheer up her friend. "Well-" the doorbell rang, interrupting Belle from whatever she was planning on saying. "I'll be right back. Probably the mailman or something. He always brings the mail to the door when it rains."  
  
"Okay," Chloe laughed and watched her friend walk out of the room before pouring herself some more tea.  
  
Belle opened the door and got the shock of her life. "Brady," she squealed and jumped into his arms. "Oh G-d, come in." She pulled him in and stopped him when he got in far enough so that she could shut the door. "Wait here. Let me get you a towel. We just had the carpet steamed cleaned earlier today."  
  
"K Tink," he laughed and kicked off his shoes. He looked around her living room and shook his head to himself. It was just as he imagined it, like a picture out of 'Better Homes and Gardens' magazine. He couldn't help the twinge of envy that fluttered in his stomach. "Toughen up," he sighed to himself. He watched a few moments later as she came back in the room and handed him a pink towel. "Thanks," he ran it over his hair.  
  
"Come," she pulled him towards the kitchen. "I want you to meet someone."  
  
"Aw Belle, I've had an awful day. Can't I just go upstairs to one of your guest rooms and take a nap?"  
  
"No, you can't Brady. You are going to meet Chloe."  
  
"Chloe? Your friend?" He vaguely remembered meeting Chloe at Belle's wedding to Shawn five years ago. He hadn't paid much attention to her really, having been completely in love with Patricia. Besides, as he recalled, Chloe was with his Uncle Phil at the time. He hoped Belle wasn't trying to set him up. In no way did he want Phil's sloppy seconds. Plus she had to be pretty shallow to have dated Philip in the first place. "I met her already."  
  
"Yeah like five years ago at mine and Shawn's wedding."  
  
"So? I'll meet her later. I'm really tired." He tried to turn around but she pulled him back.  
  
"You mean really hungover." She stopped in front of the kitchen door and turned to inspect him. "My G-d, Brady, why do you always dress like you're going to a funeral?"  
  
"I like black." He tried to slap away her hand that was busy smoothing down his shirt.  
  
"Take off your sunglasses," she demanded.  
  
"Belle," he whined.  
  
"Brady," she gave him a warning look.  
  
"Ugh, fine," he pulled them off revealing his very bloodshot blue eyes.  
  
"Oh G-d, put them back on. You're going to scare her if you don't."  
  
He complied and followed her into the kitchen. That's when he saw her, the wretched woman that crashed into his car only half an hour before.  
  
Chloe looked up to see the man who hit her car.  
  
"You," they shouted simultaneously. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:  
  
'So this was Chloe,' he thought to himself, as he looked her over. He remembered meeting her all those years ago but for some reason hadn't remembered what she looked like. She was beautiful. There was no doubting that. Even with her messy, tangled hair and those puffy, red eyes, any fool could see that she was definitely an attractive woman. But what a shrew.  
  
Realization dawned on Chloe, and she narrowed her eyes at the man in front of her. This was Brady: Belle's brother. How could she have not seen it before? That tousled blonde hair? That six foot tall, broad frame? He was gorgeous in all of the pictures that she had seen of him and the reality was no different. She faintly remembered seeing him at Belle and Shawn's wedding five years ago but hadn't really paid much attention. He looked ridiculous standing there, a pink towel draped around his shoulders trying to stare her down. What a pill.  
  
"You two know each other?" Belle asked, clearly confused.  
  
"You could say that." Brady sat across the table from Chloe.  
  
"This is the imbecile that hit my car," Chloe pointed to him.  
  
"You hit me!" Brady couldn't believe she was still going on about this. "And it was a measly dent anyway!"  
  
"Measly dent. That measly dent is going to cost me at least five-hundred dollars to fix."  
  
"Please," he scoffed.  
  
"You know, I'm mistaken. It's not going to cost me a damn thing because you're going to fix it!" She rose from her chair ands walked out of the kitchen but not before muttering "fool" in his general direction under her breath.  
  
Having heard the aside, he stood and followed her out of the kitchen, Belle hot on their trails. "Oh so I'm a fool now huh?"  
  
"Yes," she whirled around on him.  
  
"How so? Look-Chloe-I barely know you so I will try and give you the benefit of the doubt seeing as my sister's insane enough to be best friends with you but there's something I've just been dying to know since I met you this morning?"  
  
She raised an eyebrow at him and remained quiet, silently giving him the go ahead.  
  
"What could have possibly crawled up your ass and died?"  
  
"Brady," Belle screamed. "Dammit, cut her a break!"  
  
"Cut her a break? Her? Are you serious," his eyes widened in incredulity. "Oh, Jesus, she's crying now?"  
  
"Yes," Belle walked over to a now sobbing Chloe and hugged her reassuringly. "She's having a really bad day. Philip--," she stopped herself, not sure she should be discussing Chloe's business just yet.  
  
"Ahhh.so this is who Philip's cajoled into agreeing to marry him, hmm? Dumb and Dumber. Perfect match if I do say so myself. Dry those crocodile tears Diva. I'm not buying it."  
  
"Brady-," Belle started.  
  
"No, Belle," Chloe pushed herself from Belle's embrace. "No, he's right. I'm nothing but a melodramatic, self-centered, self-seeking diva, isn't that right?" She looked to Brady and saw him nod positively in response.  
  
"If the shoe fits," Brady said simply.  
  
"Bye, Belle," she kissed her friend on the cheek and tried to pull herself together. "I'll call you later. I've got things I've got to take care of anyway. I'll call you. I'll call."  
  
"Chloe. Chloe don't leave," Belle pleaded but Chloe shook her head and made her way to the door, leaving promptly. Belle shot a menacing glare at her brother before following Chloe out the door to apologize.  
  
"Good riddance," Brady said under his breath as he made his way to the kitchen.  
  
As he poured himself a cup of tea, a furious Belle entered the kitchen. "Dammit Brady, that is my best friend."  
  
"Keyword: 'your.' That is 'your' best friend Belle, not mine. So I don't have to pretend to like her. She's a spoiled brat."  
  
"You think so hmm?"  
  
"I know so," he took a sip of tea. "Why else would she completely wig out on me for no reason?"  
  
"Oh, I dunno," Belle sighed. "Could be the fact that this morning when she went to visit her fiancé Philip that this self-centered, self-serving-"  
  
"Self-seeking," he corrected her. "And don't forget melodramatic."  
  
"Melodramatic Diva walked in on him having sex with his secretary Cynthia."  
  
"What," Brady's jaw dropped in shock. He was suddenly feeling incredibly foolish. He'd acted like such a jackass. God, he never did know when to keep his mouth shut.  
  
"'What'? Is that all you have to say Brady?"  
  
"'Fraid so, Belle." He sighed and leaned against the counter. "My foot is just taking up way too much room in my mouth." ******************** The next day.Basic Black.  
  
"So how do you like being back son?" John took a seat behind his desk as Brady sat across from him.  
  
"I like it fine dad," Brady lied.  
  
"I thought you might. I knew being back home with your family and friends is exactly what you'd need."  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"That's a fact." John eyed his son carefully. "Brady, I know that the idea of living in Salem doesn't exactly excite you."  
  
"No, you're wrong dad. It's great being back." He lied again.  
  
"Brady, for G-d sakes, I am your father and I can tell when you lie. You always do that little thing with your eyes."  
  
"Thing with my." he sighed. "Okay," he conceded. "Okay, being back in Salem doesn't exactly thrill me but I'll get over it."  
  
"Brady-" John started when the buzz of his intercom interrupted him.  
  
"Mr. Black?"  
  
"Uh, yes Jamie. What is it?"  
  
"Ms. Lane is here."  
  
"Oh, send her in please." John stood anticipating Chloe's entrance.  
  
"Lane?" Brady asked, concerned. "As in Chloe Lane? Phil's fiancé?"  
  
"Uh yeah. You know her?"  
  
Brady shrugged. "Kind of." He smiled uneasily as he waited for Chloe to enter. He played with the cuff of his black suit jacket he wore over a solid, blue shirt. He would've pulled at his tie, a nervous habit he had but he wasn't wearing one so his just ran a hand through his hair instead.  
  
"Mr. Black," Chloe entered the room and unaware of Brady's presence went straight to John.  
  
"Chloe. Hey sweetie. How are you?" He pulled her into a hug, Belle having told him what happened to her yesterday concerning Philip's infidelity. Chloe was like another daughter to him.  
  
"I'm good. I am. I'm doing good." She gave him a small smile.  
  
'Yeah, right,' Brady thought to himself. 'She's breaking up inside.' He sat back in his chair that creaked slightly, alerting Chloe to his presence.  
  
She turned to him. "You." She breathed out and wiped a tear from her cheek. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:  
  
John took a good look at the two people who couldn't seem to take their eyes off each other. "Uh, Chloe, this meathead claims to know you."  
  
"We've.met," she said simply and turned her attention back to John. She just couldn't deal with Brady right now. It was no wonder Philip and Brady were related as they both seemed to have inherited the assh*le gene. "Look, Mr. Black, I just came to bring the brownies for the meeting like you wanted. I left them with Jamie. I just thought I'd stop by and say 'Hi' too."  
  
"Of course sweetie, of course. Belle will be here about noon. Would you like to stay and have lunch with Brady, Belle and I or."  
  
"Um, no," she stole a quick glance at Brady as he stood. "I have to get back to work. I'll talk to you later. Tell Marlena I said, 'Take care.'"  
  
"Okay, Chloe, take care of yourself." John watched Chloe walk out of the room. The door shut quietly before John turned to look at his son. He'd noticed the sudden tension in the air when Chloe was aware Brady was there and now he was curious. "Brady, you didn't say a word to her."  
  
"No, but I will." He walked out of the room and spotted Chloe nearing the elevators. He was an ass to her yesterday. The least he could do was apologize. I mean the girl couldn't be all that bad if she was close with his family. "Chloe, wait up." He joined her in the elevator before the doors could close.  
  
"Oh, great," Chloe muttered under her breath. "What is it you want?"  
  
His breath caught in his throat, as he looked down at her in her brown pants and tight tee with 'The Sweet Bar' written in white across the top. G-d, she was hot. "So, you working?"  
  
"Yes." She said, still refusing to look at him.  
  
"So what do you do exactly? Make deliveries? Bake and stuff?" He couldn't believe how this was coming out. What was he? Fifteen?  
  
"Sometimes," she said simply and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, clearly uncomfortable with his presence.  
  
"Well, if you're interested. I mean. if you get sick of the work you're currently doing, I'm sure you could always get a job here at Basic Black. Secretarial work or something? [i]I'm[/i] looking for a secretary actually."  
  
"You are unbelievable." Chloe turned to look at him.  
  
"Well," he smiled. "I try."  
  
"No, I mean truly unbelievable." She narrowed her eyes at him dangerously.  
  
"It's nothing really." He laughed, completely oblivious. "And actually I came in here to apologize to you for yesterday. I was incredibly rude and I was having a bad morning, not that I'm making excuses. I mean I." He blew out a breath. "I truly am sorry."  
  
"Yes, you are: very sorry." She tossed her hair and looked away from him, anger emanating off of her in palpable waves.  
  
"You're kidding.right?" Brady took one look at the rigid set to her shoulders and the back of her very stubborn head and sighed. "I come in here to apologize for my rudeness yesterday and you jump down my throat again. I just don't get you."  
  
She whirled around to face him. "No, but I get you very well. You're nothing but a whiny, spoiled, dim-witted jackass." The elevator came to an abrupt stop at the first floor and the doors opened revealing a surprised Philip.  
  
"Chloe," Philip said softly. "I saw you walk in here.the building. and waited for you to come back down. I was just about to go up and find you, see you. I have to talk to you, explain to you what happened yesterday." He narrowed his eyes at Brady. Since when was he back in town?  
  
She stole a glance at an annoyed Brady and looked back at Philip. "Don't bother," she stomped out of the elevator and walked past him.  
  
"Brady." Philip looked him over defensively. What the hell was his nephew, Brady, doing in an elevator with his fiancée?  
  
"Philip." Brady arched an eyebrow at him, and let the doors of the elevator close.  
  
Philip shook his head and ran to catch up to Chloe who was already out the doors and on the street hailing a taxi.  
  
"Dammit, Philip," she swore when he joined her in the moving cab. This day just kept getting worse and worse and she felt as if she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. First, she had to see Belle's assh*le of a brother this morning and now she had to bump into this one. It amazed her that her life could go completely to pot in the span of 36 hours. "I can't deal with this right now."  
  
"I know Chloe, I know. I realize that I hurt you but can you just.I mean could you just try and see my side of things?"  
  
"Your side of things!? Your backside shooting in the air as you had sex with Cynthia on your desk is the only side that concerns me!" It was silent for a while as she turned to look out the window and watch the passing scenery of big buildings and small businesses.  
  
"I was lonely," Philip said barely above a whisper.  
  
"What!?" She looked him over incredulously. "Is that supposed to be some excuse for screwing that woman in your office?"  
  
"No, not an excuse but.at least maybe you'll get a better understanding of why I did what I did."  
  
Chloe couldn't believe she said what she said next. She should have been telling him to $&@# himself. "So, you were lonely." She waited for him to explain.  
  
"Yes, Chloe. I was lonely. I asked you to officially marry me what? Three years ago? And not earlier because you said you didn't want to be tied down. You wanted your space. Well I've given you your space, but it's like I'm not even here. You work all the time."  
  
"I'm the owner of a business Philip!"  
  
"I know that Chloe but Jesus, I work too. You never have any time for me. And when we're together, it's always talk about our wedding. The flowers, the cake, the caterer.never about us." When Chloe remained silent, he continued. "And I know there's no excuse for what I did with Cynthia but a couple of months ago, a couple of the guys at work were ribbing me about you Chloe. They called me Mr. Lane and asked what size pants you wore because since you were obviously going to wear the pants in the family, they figured it'd make a great wedding gift."  
  
"Why are you telling me this Philip? That because you lack a backbone I should feel sorry for you? Do you really think it can change anything now?"  
  
"Yes.no.maybe. We've put so much time and energy into this relationship that maybe we can start over. I love you, Chloe. No one has or ever can love you the way that I love you, you know that." He tenderly caressed her cheek and frowned when she flinched away from his touch.  
  
The cab came to a stop in front of Chloe's shop. "Goodbye Philip," she said as strongly as she could muster and jogged inside, the tears beginning to fall. What if Philip was right? What if no one would ever fall in love with her but him? All she'd ever wanted in life was to love someone and be loved in return. She knew she loved Philip.or had loved him.or cared about him deeply.G-d, what was love anyway. She didn't know and she was pretty certain she'd never find out. Let's face it: She wasn't exactly the most easygoing girl in the world and Philip had said they'd spent so much time and energy in this relationship to just throw it away. So then why did it hurt so much to even think about getting back with him? Why did she feel as if a great weight had been lifted off of her shoulders after leaving him yesterday? Why did she feel like she wouldn't mind in the least if she never saw Philip Kiriakis again?  
  
********************** The Java Café  
  
"How the hell was I supposed to know she owned 'The Sweet Bar'?" Brady looked at his father and Belle innocently.  
  
John merely shook his head and Belle sighed and wondered if her best friend and her brother would ever be able to get along. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:  
  
One Week Later  
  
Brady sat at the desk in his office humming 'We Will Rock You,' all the while crumpling up crisp sheets of plain white paper and shooting baskets in the hoop set up on the back of his door. Down to his last piece of paper he began: "This is for the championship. Brady Black's got the ball. Ten seconds on the clock. He moves left. Dribbles right and the crowd cheers. Haaaaa (Making cheesy crowd noises). He takes the shot," he threw the paper towards the hoop. "Three. Two." His door suddenly opened and instead of the ball traveling to its intended destination, it hit John's face instead. "Dad! Oh s&^%. I'm sorry." He got up to meet his father by the door.  
  
"Ahhh.it's okay, Brady," John sighed as he looked at the mess his son's office was in, crumpled up balls of paper splayed all over the floor, sports memorabilia strewn across the walls.  
  
"I can clean this up," Brady bent down to pick of the papers.  
  
"No, son stop." John put a hand on his shoulder and leaned his hip on Brady's desk.  
  
"Okay, well umm." Brady reached for his tie but again realized it was already off, so he scratched his hair and tugged an earlobe instead.  
  
"Relax Brady. It's just me, your father."  
  
Brady chuckled. "I know that dad but I guess I'm not used to working with you, ya know? I mean in New York we did things a certain way and well here it's different."  
  
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about actually."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Brady plopped into his New York Jets inflatable chair. "Shoot."  
  
"Well I talked to Dave Strobers this afternoon."  
  
"The potential client for the 'Swirly Shoes' account."  
  
"Right, right," John nodded. "And well, he seems pretty confident that he's choosing us to handle his business."  
  
"That's good. That's great dad. We kicked major butt this morning then huh?"  
  
"Yeah, we did real good son. But you see well, I informed him that I will be leaving by the end of the month for a long vacation and that the control of the account would become yours until I got back and that even when I did come back, I would not be taking back full control."  
  
"Yeah, that's cool. That's why you brought me here anyway. And trust me, I've handled bigger businesses than 'Swirly Shoes' in New York." Brady laughed.  
  
John joined him in laughter and shook his head. "I know. I know. I tried to tell him that, that you're the only person I would ever trust to take over the Salem offices."  
  
"But?" Brady felt a 'but' coming on.  
  
"But," John sighed. "He wasn't convinced you could handle it. You seemed a bit too flighty for the guy."  
  
"Flighty?"  
  
"Ugh, you know what I mean Brady. Too resistant to the idea of being tied down. Not family oriented enough. Too single."  
  
"Too sing-- Are you serious?" Brady looked at his father incredulously. "I have never had a problem like this in New York."  
  
"That's just it Brady. You're in Salem now, not New York. Here the focus is a little different so clients tend to like a more stable handler. And the people Strobers' is trying to target are not city folk. He's looking for suburbanites to buy his products. And he thinks you won't be able to fully identify with the consumers he's trying to attract. But he's an idiot Brady. Forget about him. The only thing that matters is that we land his account and I can say with absolute certainty that we did."  
  
"We did," he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his father. "And just how did we do that exactly?"  
  
"I kind of told him a little white lie, that's all. It's necessary in any business son."  
  
"I know all about that. Now what did you tell him dad?"  
  
"That you were." he mumbled something under his breath.  
  
"Speak up dad."  
  
"That you were engaged."  
  
"What!?" Brady shot out of his chair.  
  
"Relax. I didn't give him any names or anything. Just that you were engaged to a very lovely girl and were planning a wedding for next June. I didn't even give him the chance to ask me anymore about it, okay?"  
  
"Oh, Dad, honestly." Brady flopped back down in his chair and shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"You mad at me," John asked sheepishly. John knew that marriage was a touchy subject for Brady ever since his fiancée, Patricia, left him for his best friend back in New York. Brady had virtually shut down that sensitive side that believed in love and wanted love but if you ever mentioned Patricia, he would visibly tense and that told John that Brady was more hurt and scarred by this than he would ever admit to anyone.  
  
"Am I mad at you?" Through it all Brady found himself chuckling. "Yes, ya big dork!" *********************  
  
"So, you think you'll come to dinner Chloe," Belle asked her as she watched her friend exhibit some truffles in one of the display windows.  
  
"I dunno, Belle." Chloe sighed and wiped her hands on her apron. Belle was inviting her out to Tuscany for dinner with her, Shawn, Marlena, John and of course Brady. She hadn't seen him in a week. She had definitely lucked out. If she never saw him again it would be too soon. Now Philip, on the other hand, she had seen him twice since the cab incident and both times were the same. Philip kept telling her how sorry he was and how he never meant to hurt her. He'd even been "honest" with her, telling her this "fling" with Cynthia had been going on for only two months. 'Two months too long,' Chloe thought. But he seemed sincere and genuinely sorry. So now, she didn't know what to think. Her heart told her that Philip was a fool that couldn't be trusted. But somehow her head had come to the conclusion that Philip's infidelity may have been hurtful but that their relationship was worth a second shot.  
  
"Please Chloe. I've already told Brady he has to play nice. Besides, I think he feels pretty bad about the last time you guys spoke."  
  
"Good, I hope he feels awful," Chloe replied as she walked to the back of the shop. Belle followed. "Susan, can you watch the front for me?"  
  
"Sure thing, Chlo." Susan left Belle and Chloe in the back.  
  
"Chloe," Belle whined. "Come on. It'll be fun. And you need to get out and see the world again. Nancy and Craig and Shawn and my mom and dad, we're all worried about you. And like I said Brady's just a big teddy bear."  
  
"Right Belle. A demonic teddy bear if ever I've seen one."  
  
Belle chuckled. "Honest he is. And you don't even have to talk to him tonight. I know what an ass he can be. It's just that Patricia really hurt him."  
  
"Patricia?"  
  
"Ex fiancée who cheated on him with his best friend a few years back in New York. Ever since then he's kind of just closed himself off. Not that he doesn't have a different woman on his arm every night. The guy's a man whore but he's an awesome friend to have."  
  
Chloe laughed. "I find that hard to believe. I mean he's attractive and everything, gorgeous even, but he's got a really unpleasant attitude."  
  
"Don't I know it," Belle chuckled. "You've just got to get to know him. He's a really good guy underneath all the cockiness and stubbornness and just plain 'porkrhine-eating-never-says-the-right-thing-leaves-the- toiletseat-up' guyness."  
  
Chloe only laughed and shook her head. "I'll believe that when I see it."  
  
"Oh.my.G-d," Susan came from the front of the shop.  
  
"What is it Susan," Chloe was worried, dread rapidly pooling in her stomach.  
  
"The most awesome looking guy ever just walked in the store and he's asking for you Chloe."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Who is he?"  
  
"I have no idea but he's got this incredible beach blonde hair and these twinkling, baby blue eyes. He's got that whole California surfer thing going on you know? And then his voice, smooth as silk I'm telling you. What a babe. He's so sweet too."  
  
Both Chloe and Belle erupted into a fit of laughter. Now Chloe was curious. Not that she would be interested in anyone romantically but well she wondered what hunky guy would be looking for her.  
  
"For goodness sakes Chloe, don't keep the man waiting." Susan huffed and tried to push her out of the room.  
  
"Okay, okay." Chloe attempted to walk out of the room but Belle pulled her back.  
  
"Fix your hair Chloe and you have cocoa powder all over your cheek."  
  
She pulled away from Belle's grasp. "I don't care Belle. I just broke it off with my fiancé; I'm not looking for a love connection. Besides, Philip and I may not even be over."  
  
"What!?" Belle shouted, shocked that Chloe was even considering taking the snake back. When Chloe remained silent, Belle sighed defeatedly. "Okay, we will talk about this later."  
  
"Of course," Chloe gave her a bright smile and walked to the front of the store. She spotted the back of a man's head as he looked out her front window. "Yes?"  
  
Brady turned around and found himself staring at Chloe again. She was so cute standing there behind the counter, cocoa powder on her face and clothes. Finally, a girl that didn't mind getting dirty. It had been years since he'd met anyone like that. Not that he was interested in her romantically or anything because she was still a vamp. "Chloe, hi. Good to see you."  
  
"What do you want?" Chloe crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"Ah," he smiled. "So friendly." She merely arched an eyebrow at him, so he continued. "This is a great looking place you've got here." He gestured to the cozy shop that smelled of baking brownies and rich cognac. It was pretty small, with its hardwood floors and a few wooden tables that were lined before the counter. It reminded him of one of those 1950's drugstores or an old English shop. He liked it, very personable. So very unlike its owner. "Very nice place."  
  
Chloe narrowed her eyes at him, not sure she liked him trying to be nice like this. "Uh.yeah.umm.thanks. But like I said before what are you doing here?"  
  
"And you take compliments so well too." Brady laughed. "I was actually looking for Belle. I'm not really sure if I want to go to that dinner tonight. You going?"  
  
"I don't know yet, but I'm leaning towards 'no'."  
  
He chuckled and walked over to stand before her as she still stood frozen behind the counter. "Same here."  
  
"Look, umm.let me go get Belle okay?"  
  
"I saw you and Philip talking in Salem Place earlier this week. You're not really going to get back together with that lug are you?"  
  
"It's none of your business what I do."  
  
"I know that and look, Chloe, I'm not going to try and give you advice-"  
  
"Well then don't. You're certainly no expert when it comes to love anyway."  
  
"I happen to be very good with the ladies," Brady said half joking, half serious.  
  
"Well, you couldn't keep Patricia. What's that tell you?" Chloe didn't mean to say it but it slipped. She had wanted to hurt someone as Philip had hurt her but she now knew she was taking it out on the wrong person, a person she barely knew. And she knew Belle would not have appreciated her rubbing this in Brady's face.  
  
"How the hell do you know about that?" Brady eyes cooled with an icy fire.  
  
"I inquired." Chloe lied.  
  
"Let me tell you something now: You stay out of my business and stay out of my life."  
  
"You do the same."  
  
"Tell Belle, I won't be going to that dinner tonight."  
  
"Tell her yourself," Chloe walked to the back of the store. But when Chloe glanced back to look at him one last time, she saw him storm out of the shop. What was his problem? Why did he make her so crazy every time she saw him? Chloe was sure she never wanted to find out. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:  
  
Brady stood at the stone walkway near the entrance of Tuscany. His family and Chloe were having dinner there right now but he'd called Belle to send his apologies. He'd changed his mind at the last minute and decided he would go in but he couldn't bring himself to. That kind of atmosphere was not what he needed right now. He'd just moved back to Salem a little over a week ago and he still hadn't adjusted fully to being here. It felt good to see his sister, his father, his stepmother and Shawn. He'd even seen Bo and Hope this week and Mickey and Maggie. But he wasn't ready to pretend he was fine with living here. There was all this pressure. I mean he was pushing on thirty in a few years and it scared the hell out of him. So here he stood, a bottle of vodka in his hand, as he thought about this afternoon in his office.  
  
His father had lied and said he was engaged. How the hell was he supposed to handle that situation? And he was sure that the situation would need handling too. He was sure that this "little white lie" would spawn a whole web of lies as they often do. Just look at his situation with Patricia. She had lied to him time and time again, Brady realized, as he walked in on her together with his best friend. Nothing had hurt worse than that. Nothing. His whole world had fallen apart. And though he was angry and hurt, he was more embarrassed than anything. He'd given his heart and thought he had hers in return. What a pathetic lovesick fool he was: always making her stuff and making googly eyes at her, and always wanting to hold hand, be near her. Ugh, he was such a needy loser. Women didn't want nice guys. They always finish last. He'd found that out pretty quickly. So to hell with everything. He took a swig of vodka and listened to quiet of the night. ****************************  
  
Chloe sat having dinner with John and Marlena Black and Belle and Shawn Brady. And though she was close to all of them, she couldn't help but feel like a giant fifth wheel. The looks of pure pity on their faces had made her want to run out of there screaming at the top of her lungs. "Yes, I love the show." Chloe smiled and nodded, pretending to be interested in the conversation everyone at the table seemed to be engrossed in. "Look, it's getting late and the end of the month reports have to be done for 'Sweet Bar' so I'm going to head out." Laughing off, all the protests to her leaving she hugged everyone goodbye and walked to the exit. That's when she saw him. He had his arm around that woman again.  
  
Philip and Cynthia walked through the entrance of Tuscany arm in arm. He sighed miserably as Cynthia chatted on about something or another. His eyes bugged out in surprise when they met Chloe's. "Chloe."  
  
"Son of a b&tch." Feeling tears welling up in her eyes and her lip beginning to quiver, she pushed past them both and ran outside in to the cool August air.  
  
"Philip, don't you dare go after her," Cynthia pulled him back as he attempted to follow Chloe out the doors. "She's a big girl."  
  
Sobs erupted from Chloe's throat as she ran along the stone walkway. How could Philip have done this to her? Wasn't it just yesterday that he was telling her how sorry he was and that this "fling" with Cynthia was over? Damn him to hell. She stomped along the walkway to the side of the building. When she thought she was alone, she stopped and cried quietly as she looked out on the starry night. Her life was a complete mess. This night couldn't get any worse. Oh, how wrong she was.  
  
"Hey Diva," the voice came from behind, causing Chloe to whirl around in surprise. Brady sat leisurely on a steel bench placed before a row of square-cut bushes.  
  
"What are you doing here," she bit out shakily as she wiped the tears from her face. She noticed he called her Diva like the other morning but it sounded as if his mouth was full of something. She walked over to him slowly, seeing the bottle of vodka in his hands. "You've been drinking." She took a step back, not knowing quite what to expect from him.  
  
"I was sitting here thinking," he slurred out.  
  
"That's a first," Chloe smiled at her joke, amazed she even had the energy to joke about anything after seeing Philip in Tuscany like that. But there was just something about Brady that made her [i]want[/i] to fight and it unnerved her as well as annoyed her.  
  
"I wish I was back in New York," he said quietly.  
  
"Why?" Genuinely curious, she took a step toward him. His voice sounded so childlike, like a lost little boy. 'Whoa, hold on there Chloe,' she thought to herself. 'He's a jerk. You know that. He's not capable of real human feelings.'  
  
"Because there's always so much going on. So many people everywhere you're never alone with your thoughts long enough to think. Here-out here. especially tonight-it's so quiet." He paused. "And so I have to think. I have to remember. I've been running from my feelings and thoughts for so long. In New York, there were so many distractions, so much noise, that I didn't have to remember. I could forget."  
  
Chloe could see he was beginning to ramble. She knew he was talking about Patricia and what had happened. So, he'd gotten himself drunk and now he sat. Chloe figured she ought to get him out of here and home safely, not that she cared what, if anything, would happen to him. It was for Belle's sake and John and Marlena. She had to see him home safely because as much as she detested this jerk, tonight she could also empathize with him. It frightened her, looking at him. He was still hurting, after three long years of being apart from Patricia. Would she still feel that way about Philip three years from now? She wondered. Honestly, she didn't know. She had never wanted to be tied down, never wanted to be married. It seemed as if Brady had genuinely loved this Patricia woman, so much so that he had wanted to spend his life loving her, fighting with her, struggling with her. Chloe wasn't even sure if she ever would want that kind of life, love or not. Sighing, she joined Brady on the bench and put his arm around her shoulder so she could hoist him up.  
  
"Hey Chloe," he said as he looked into her eyes, a slight smile on his lips.  
  
"Hey. Brady."  
  
"You're so pretty, Chloe." His smile grew as they walked toward a taxi.  
  
"Umm.thanks." They flopped into the cab and Chloe pulled Brady's arm from around her shoulder as he looked at her dreamily.  
  
"You've got pretty eyes and nice teeth. I like your teeth. You've got a good set of teeth on you.in you.on." He shook his head trying to get his thoughts straight.  
  
"What about Patricia?" She glanced up at him, trying to gauge his reaction to hearing Patricia's name in his current drunken state.  
  
"Patricia who?" He looked at her in confusion.  
  
"Your ex-fiancée."  
  
"She had nice teeth too," he said with a far off look in his eyes. "Ugh, she's an old fart. like Philip. I like you Chloe." He pouted.  
  
"No, you don't."  
  
"No, I do. I really do." A smile grew upon his lips. "You're a foxy lady." He arched an eyebrow at her.  
  
"And you're drunk." Chloe couldn't help but smile. Boy, would she love to rub this flirty behavior in a sober Brady's face. She grew serious again. Thoughtfully, she turned to look out the window and turned back watching him look out of his own window and take a swig of vodka. "So you really think Philip's an old fart huh?"  
  
He turned to look at her, and did not hesitate. "Absolutely."  
  
"I'll take some of that." She reached for the bottle and took a drink, Brady watching her intently. He laughed when she began to cough and catch her breath. "Strong stuff," she breathed out.  
  
"Oh please," he snorted and snatched the bottle back.  
  
"What?" She tried to get the bottle back but he held it away from her.  
  
"There's nothing more pitiful than a grown woman who can't hold her own liquor." He took another swallow.  
  
"I'll have you know I was declared Vodka Queen my junior year in college thank you very much, not that that's anything to be proud of. Drinking is a disgusting habit." She took the bottle back from him and took a drink, causing her to hack and cough again. "Ugh, that's awful," she wiped her lips with the sleeve of her shirt.  
  
He rolled his eyes and took the bottle back. "Come on Chloe, be a man. Suck it up. Let's paint the town.whatever the hell color people paint towns.or are you chicken?"  
  
"Where to?" The cabby asked over his shoulder.  
  
Chloe thought for a minute knowing getting drunk was not going to solve her problems, it would only make them worse. But tonight, she didn't care. Tonight, she wanted to forget. Plus, Brady murmuring 'boc,boc' under his breath decided it for her. 'What an ass.' "The Blue Note and step on it." ********************  
  
The Next Morning.  
  
Sunlight streamed through the window, cajoling Chloe from a peaceful slumber, probably the most peaceful slumber she'd had in years. She groaned in protest as the warm rays of the sun beat mercilessly against her tired eyelids. "Mmm," she moaned, trying unsuccessfully to open her eyes. 'Ugh.' She was suddenly aware of how her head hurt and the rhythmic pounding in her ears. Oh, but she was so tired. She had to keep her eyes closed, keep out that blasted sunlight. She didn't even have the energy to pull her blanket over her head. Maybe she should just go back to sleep she reasoned, but that continuous thumping in her ears continued. Ugh, what was she thinking going out last night and getting drunk with Brady? The Jell-O shots, the cranberry chasers, tequila.Brady!? Her eyes open with a start as she realized exactly what that beating was. 'Oh, God, please no,' she silently prayed as she looked up and saw his sleeping face as he quietly snored. Her head was on Brady's bare chest, her ear directly over his heart. "Oh no," she wailed removing her arms that had been wrapped around Brady's waist.  
  
Brady shot out of bed and with a loud thump dropped onto the hard floor. "What the hell," he could be heard muttering behind the side of the bed.  
  
"Oh no," she cried again as she stood from the bed wrapping the thin sheet around her.  
  
Brady peered at her, wide eyed, still on the floor at the side of the bed. Slowly he stood, his eyes shocked. "What the hell happened?" He looked panicked.  
  
"You tell me," she looked at him, disgust plastered on her face. She suddenly couldn't meet his gaze. "Umm.you may want to put something on." She cleared her throat.  
  
Still wide-eyed, Brady looked down at his naked form before blushing profusely. He had had plenty of one-night stands in the last three years but he had usually remembered them. Plus, this was his sister's best friend and that was just not right. "Umm.yeah?" He looked around the room for his boxers. Ugh, his head was pounding. What had they done last night? The last thing he remembered clearly was getting kicked out of the Blue Note, although he didn't remember how he had gotten there.  
  
It was then that Chloe noticed that they were in her bedroom in her apartment and it was a mess. What had they done last night!? She looked directly up and gasped. "Umm.Brady they're." She pointed up to the spinning ceiling fan and his boxers that hung loosely on one of the blades. She turned away as he stood on the bed and grabbed the boxers, pulling them on and jumping down back onto the floor.  
  
"Okay, I'm decent." He laughed as she turned around to glare at him.  
  
"You're disgusting." She sneered at him and went to pick up his clothes that were scattered across the room with one hand, her other holding tightly to the sheet that covered her. "You need to leave."  
  
"So soon," he muttered dropping back onto the bed, and rubbing his face in his hands. This was quite a hangover.  
  
"Now!" She threw his clothes at him.  
  
"Okay, okay," he groaned as he picked up his clothes and began getting dressed. He pulled his pants on and watched Chloe cry quietly as she sunk down onto her bed.  
  
"Chloe," he reached for her.  
  
"Don't touch me!" She flinched away from his touch as if he was the most disgusting piece of crap she'd ever seen.  
  
"Fine!" Brady had had enough of trying to be Mr. Sensitive and Caring. It always ended biting him in the ass, so to speak he realized as he noticed Chloe must have bitten him in quite a few places during their sexual escapade last night. He was so sore. Resignedly, he was leaving the room when something taped to her dresser mirror caught his eye. "Uh oh," he muttered under his breath, not liking this one bit. He pulled the piece of paper down and studied it carefully before turning to an expectant Chloe.  
  
"What?" Chloe bit out through tears as she looked at him, wondering how this situation could possibly get any worse.  
  
"It's a certificate," Brady said simply, not sure he could get the rest out, knowing she wouldn't believe it, him hardly believing it himself.  
  
"Of what," Chloe asked, completely clueless. When he remained silent, obviously transfixed on that stupid piece of paper, she pushed on. "Of what, Brady?" She stood from the bed, keeping the sheet wrapped firmly around her.  
  
Still not looking at her, "It's a certificate." Slowly, he brought his weary gaze to hers. "A certificate of marriage." 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:  
  
"It's a certificate," Brady said simply, not sure he could get the rest out, knowing she wouldn't believe it, him hardly believing it himself.  
  
"Of what," Chloe asked, completely clueless. When he remained silent, obviously transfixed on that stupid piece of paper, she pushed on. "Of what, Brady?" She stood from the bed, keeping the sheet wrapped firmly around her.  
  
Still not looking at her, "It's a certificate." Slowly, he brought his weary gaze to hers. "A certificate of marriage." He leaned against the dresser.  
  
"What? But how?"  
  
"We must have driven to the next town and gotten married." He figured as he looked at the legal document signed by some judge he had never heard of.  
  
"No," she stood shocked. "Oh nooo," she cried and fell back onto the bed, face down, burying her face in the pillow and beating the bed with her fists.  
  
Brady didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She looked like the perfect little spoiled brat with her sobbing body shaking the bed and flailing limbs flying haphazardly about. "Chloe," he started, as he went to her, sitting on the bed. "I know this isn't exactly good news."  
  
Her head shot up as she looked at him incredulously. "Isn't good news!? Isn't good news!? It's the [i]worst[/i] news!"  
  
Kinda hurt by her obvious disgust with the situation, he fought back defensively. "Hey, I'm quite a catch dammit! Plenty of women would kill to be in your shoes right now!"  
  
"Ugh," she cried. "As a little girl, I always dreamed that I was going to marry for love but I don't even like you! And now I am married to you!" Her head hit the pillow again as she sobbed.  
  
Brady sat quietly for a long while, listening to her agonizing cries. Soon, her sobs began to die down and he gently touched her shoulder. While she'd laid there crying, he'd had time to think this whole thing over. "Chloe, look at me please." She obliged and her bloodshot eyes made contact with his sympathetic ones. "I'm not thrilled with what we've gotten ourselves into either. Also, not to hurt your feelings or anything, but I'm not too fond of you either. We were obviously drunk and not thinking clearly. For some odd, twisted reason, we turned to each other for comfort and now." He took a deep breath, becoming used to the situation. "Now, we are married."  
  
Chloe sobbed again. "Oh G-d." This was awful.  
  
Brady rolled his eyes. "We just have to deal with it."  
  
"Okay," Chloe sniffled and rubbed her face, swollen and red from her hysterical crying. "No one even has to know about this, right? I mean we can just.we will just.we'll just need a lawyer and have this taken care of. I think I have a number downstairs in my Rolodex." She wiped her face clean with the palm of her hand and sniffed back her runny nose.  
  
"Actually, I was thinking about one way we could deal with this and.ummm." he trailed off.  
  
"Ummm what?" Chloe wasn't sure she liked that look on his face. It was like he was preparing himself to tell her news he knew she wasn't going to like.  
  
"Well, I was thinking." He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair before looking at her dead on. "What if we don't get a divorce?" He smiled. There he said it.  
  
"What!? You're insane! I don't want to be married to [i]you[/i]!"  
  
"Okay, you've made that clear enough!" Brady's brow furrowed in irritation as blew out a frustrated breath. "Man, you are such a-"  
  
"Go ahead. Say it!" She defied him, her eyes flaming brightly with anger.  
  
Brady declined her challenge; knowing he'd say something he'd regret. "Look, here's the thing; for some sick reason, that I'll never understand, you still want Philip."  
  
"How the hell do you know about that?"  
  
"I inquired." He shot her a glare but continued before she could protest. "And well I think if we stay married, you might be able to get back together with him and everything will be as good as new."  
  
"How so?" Chloe frowned.  
  
"Well, being married to me, his very attractive, very sexy yet very intelligent nephew, will make him insanely jealous for a start."  
  
"But Philip already wants me. It's me who's not ready to forgive him."  
  
"Right, right. Well, think of being married to me as a sort of payback for his infidelity."  
  
She sat up, making sure to keep the sheet around her still. Philip was all she'd ever known, so naturally she was afraid to close that chapter of her life, she knew. But part of her knew she would never be able to fully forgive him if she had any respect for herself and that same part could care less if she never saw him again. "I don't know. I mean I'm not even altogether sure I want his sorry ass back anyway."  
  
Brady chuckled. "Okay, okay. Well still, even if you never speak to the guy again, wouldn't it just kill him to see you with me?"  
  
Chloe thought back to that afternoon in the elevators at Basic Black when Philip had seen them in the elevator together. Chloe found herself smiling. He was clearly jealous, though there had been no reason to be. There was nothing going on between her and Brady then and there never would be. "Okay, but what's in it for you?" She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.  
  
"Ah, you're smarter than I thought." He lightly flicked her nose and she roughly slapped his hand away. "Well, see my father and his clients supposedly have a problem with me being 'too single.' They want a more domesticated handler and I'm just way too wild for them." He rolled his eyes and chuckled.  
  
Chloe giggled. "Oh, yeah," she cooed. "You're a real tiger." She jokingly ran a finger along the front of his shirt.  
  
Suddenly, the air became thick with tension as Brady stared intensely at her, the path she'd traced with her finger and then back at her again. Chloe's thoughts betrayed her, as she thought of what kind of night they must have had together. She looked away, blushing.  
  
Brady cleared his throat. "As I was saying, I'm not suburban enough for many of the Salem clients. In this business, the car you drive, the clothes you wear, the people you date, whether you do date or not.well it matters to these people for some insane reason."  
  
If he said 'for some insane reason' one more time, Chloe thought to might kill him right then and there. "Spit it out, Brady." She was growing impatient, knowing full well he had something to tell her.  
  
"My father told a client of ours that I was engaged to be married."  
  
"What?" Chloe giggled.  
  
"He specifically said I'm engaged to a lovely girl and we're planning a wedding for next June."  
  
"John said that? Aw.that's a hoot." She broke into a fit of laughter.  
  
"I'm glad you find that so f&cking hilarious," Brady frowned at her. "I mean can you imagine me married?"  
  
Chloe grew serious, looking at him intently. "Yes," she said simply and couldn't help the goofy grin that appeared on her face.  
  
They were staring at each other again and this time Brady decided to break the spell. "Yeah? Well, I can't." His smile faded.  
  
"How will being married to me change anything?"  
  
"Well, Basic Black's Salem office has been floundering recently, losing ground to Titan. Ironically enough, you and good ol' Uncle Phil being engaged may have had something to do with that. But well, I think if [i]I[/i]was married, I'd be able to attract more potential clients."  
  
"What would [i]I[/i] have to do?"  
  
"Go to business dinners with me, make the rounds at parties. Stuff like that."  
  
"Hmm." Chloe considered this a moment. What did she have to lose that she hadn't lost already? And Brady wasn't all that bad once you got past his jerkiness, cockiness and brazen attitude. This might even be a little fun and here they could both gain something in return. Brady'd get his father's business back on its feet and she'd be able to show Philip what he threw away the minute he touched Cynthia. "You have a deal Mr. Black. Care to shake on it?" She extended her hand.  
  
Brady let out a pent up breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. Relieved, he flashed his infamous lopsided grin and took her hand in his. "There's nothing I'd rather do.Mrs. Black."  
  
"Ugh, okay rule number one, Brady: You do not call me Mrs. Black at home. I'll only allow it in public places."  
  
"Deal." He chuckled. He looked at the clock on her nightstand. "Hey, according to your clock, it's three in the afternoon. We must have slept all morning. Good thing it's Saturday."  
  
"Well, we had a rough night," Chloe reasoned, smiling in spite of herself.  
  
The comment did not go unnoticed by Brady who laughed lightly. "So I was thinking we could shower and get out of here, tell our parents the big news. We have quite a day ahead of us."  
  
Chloe groaned. "Oh, no, my mother is gonna hit the roof." She got up and walked to the bathroom, holding her forehead in her hands, the sheet still wrapped firmly around her.  
  
"She'll be fine." Brady followed her close behind. Granted, he'd never met Chloe's mother but how bad could she be?  
  
She turned around to see him right behind her. "What do you think you're doing?"  
  
"I thought we were going to take a shower."  
  
"Not together!" She shouted and slapped his chest. "Ugh," she shuddered at the thought.  
  
"I was kidding, Chloe." He laughed and sat back down on the bed as she closed the door to the bathroom. "I give you 72 hours, Chloe," He yelled through the door. "You won't be able to keep your hands off me!"  
  
"In your dreams, Black!" She yelled over the roaring water from the shower.  
  
"In yours HoneyPoo!"  
  
"Rule number two: Never call me that again!"  
  
"Okay, okay," he chuckled and went about cleaning up the mess they'd made of Chloe's room. "She's such a diva." 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:  
  
Chloe stood in her kitchen, chugging down two aspirins and a glass of water. Her day, half over because it was already four o'clock, had not been good so far. She'd had a terrible hangover and found out she was married to her best friend's brother after waking up with him naked. She almost had to laugh; the situation was so ridiculous. Almost. How in the hell were they going to be able to convince their families and friends that they had suddenly fallen in love? "This is not good," Chloe muttered under her breath as she pulled some milk from the fridge.  
  
"What are you doing?" Brady, in his clothes from last night but freshly showered, entered the kitchen looking at her intently.  
  
"What do you mean? I'm making us coffee." She held up the full coffee pot.  
  
He leaned against the door jam and frowned. "You don't even know how I like my coffee."  
  
"Well, I could care less how you like your coffee. [i]I'm[/i] making the coffee."  
  
"You should care."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because we're married. We're supposed to know these things about each other."  
  
She opened her mouth to speak, but shut it quickly. Ugh, as much as she hated to admit it, he was right. Things like how the other liked their coffee or their eggs were supposed to be second nature to people in love. "I hadn't thought of that. Come to think of it: I don't even really know you. You could be a serial killer for all I know."  
  
"Oh, Chloe, trust me. If I was capable of murder, you'd have been dead long ago."  
  
"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" She tightly gripped the pot of steaming java.  
  
"Relax. I'm just saying you're not the easiest person to get along with Chloe. That's all."  
  
"How do you like your coffee?" She gritted her teeth.  
  
"Strong. Black. No sugar." He gave her a small smile and a wink.  
  
"I don't know how you could drink it like that." She handed him the cup of steaming liquid.  
  
"Thanks. I like it." He blew on it a bit and took a small sip. It was silent for a few moments as he quietly drank his coffee and absently watched her prepare her own. "What the hell is that?" He pointed to something over Chloe's head on the wall opposite to him.  
  
She turned to look at what he was babbling about. "It's my Hello Kitty clock." She turned back to him and pouted.  
  
"You're going to have to get that thing out of here." He put his cup down and made a closer inspection of the clock.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It's hideous."  
  
"Go to hell, Brady."  
  
"I'm serious, Chloe. I can't be in a kitchen with that thing ticking away all day. I just can't. I won't."  
  
"I'm not changing my life around just for you." She took a seat at her kitchen table.  
  
"I'm your husband. You have to."  
  
"Get out!"  
  
"Now, now Chloe. Simmer down." He joked and took a seat across from her. "I just think this place needs a man's touch that's all."  
  
"Get out." She said again, a deadly gleam in her eye as she took a generous sip of coffee.  
  
"Chloe, I'm kidding. Relax. You're just going to have to get used to me. How do you like your coffee anyway?"  
  
"Tons of cream and eight sugars."  
  
"Eight sugars!?" He shook his head in disbelief. "Does it even taste like coffee at all after watering it down like that?"  
  
"Ugh, yes." She rolled her eyes.  
  
"So, you've got a sweet tooth then?" She nodded in confirmation. "How many cavities do you have?"  
  
"None." She took a sip her coffee.  
  
"Chloe." A knowing look on his face, he stared her down.  
  
"All right fine. Three. How about you?"  
  
"None. Scout's honor."  
  
"[i]Were[/i] you a boy scout?" She grinned from ear to ear.  
  
"Hell no. Far from it and we'll just leave it at that, okay?" He gave her a roguish grin.  
  
"Whatever." She shook her head and smiled. "So, how do you like your eggs?"  
  
"I'll take 'em any way you can think of: poached, scrambled, fried, boiled. You?"  
  
"Scrambled."  
  
"Easy enough to remember," he smiled. "What about your steak? Personally, I like mine medium well."  
  
"I don't eat red meat."  
  
"Whoa. That's it," he gripped the table. "I want a divorce right now."  
  
"Oh, shut up." *********************  
  
"Okay, let me look at you," Chloe sighed, taking a good look at Brady, as they stood on the front porch of the Wesley home. It was six thirty in the evening. They'd driven by Brady's place so he could quickly change and they could get over here and give Chloe's parents the good n-well the news. After they could sneak out of here, they were planning on going to John and Marlena next and then Belle and Shawn. Everyone else who wanted to know would have to hear it through the grapevine because this was going to be hard to pull off three times. Chloe adjusted Brady's dark blue tie that complimented his gray suit. She ran a hand over his hair lightly and smiled. "You have passed inspection. You actually look good."  
  
"You're not so bad yourself," he smiled down at her in her blue sleeveless top and matching skirt.  
  
"Thank you," she said curtly and rang the doorbell. "Oh G-d, Brady."  
  
"What? What is it?"  
  
"I think I'm panicking. Maybe we shouldn't have come here first. I mean, my parents can see through almost anything."  
  
"And Mercenary John can't?"  
  
Chloe laughed, grateful for the humor Brady tried to inject in the very serious situation they'd gotten themselves into. Over coffee, they had talked about their families, Brady giving her the skinny on Merc John. She truly couldn't believe the same John who she saw practically everyday had been a hired assassin in the past. Boy, she'd certainly married into a freaky family. Brady even told her about Marlena being possessed by the devil. Plus, her ex-fiancé was now her uncle-in-law. And to top it all off, she had discovered that she and Brady had more in common that she ever would have guessed. Will wonders never cease?  
  
"I'm coming," Nancy Wesley could be heard yelling through the house.  
  
"Smile, Brady," Chloe whispered as the door flew opened revealing a very shocked Nancy.  
  
"Chloe! Oh Chloe," she pulled her daughter inside and hugged her tightly. "How are you holding up, honey?"  
  
"I'm fine Nancy. I'm fine. Actually," she pulled Brady by the hand and smiled. "I've never been better."  
  
"Hi, I'm Brady Black, Chloe's.friend," he cupped Nancy's hands in his own. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Wesley."  
  
"You too," Nancy raised an eyebrow and smiled, clearly smitten with him. She gave Chloe a knowing look and turned her attention back to Brady. "And call me Nancy, Brady. Come and take a seat. So, what brings you two by?"  
  
"Has Craig left for work yet?" Chloe took a seat, completely dodging Nancy's question. Brady took the spot on the couch next to her.  
  
"No, he hasn't, dear. Why? Did you want to speak to him?"  
  
"I wanted to speak to both of you actually."  
  
"Why so serious, honey? Did something happen? Is Philip still carrying on, asking for forgiveness? If he's messing with you, so help me G-d, I'll.."  
  
"Mom, it's fine."  
  
"You're calling me mom now? This must be serious." Nancy laughed.  
  
"Can you just get Craig please?" She calmed immensely as Brady reached for her hand and squeezed it tightly. "We have something we'd like to tell you."  
  
Nancy's face blanched. Oh, G-d, Chloe was pregnant. And she was probably here to tell them that this man was the father. "Um, okay sweetie. I'll go and get your father."  
  
When Nancy went up the stairs to get Craig, Chloe rose from the couch, nervously pacing. Brady stood after watching her a few moments. "Chloe, honey, you're going to have to try and calm down."  
  
"I can't, Brady," she kept pacing back and forth, back and forth. "I just hate that we have to lie to my parents."  
  
"But we're not really lying. I mean we are married. It's legal. We're husband and wife."  
  
"Oh, stop saying that." She shooed him off and wrung her hands together nervously. "I think you're liking this much too much."  
  
"Don't flatter yourself, Diva. I don't believe in marriage or love any more than I believe in Santa Claus. The only thing I do believe in is the good old American dollar. This is purely business."  
  
She whirled and faced him, angry. "You are such a-" Craig coming down the stairs with Nancy caught her eye. "Such a wonderful man." She plastered on a smile.  
  
Brady grinned, knowing her parents were watching the exchange. "As are you, my love." He gripped her hand and brought it to his lips. "Wonderful, I mean." He kissed her hand softly.  
  
Chloe sighed with happiness and turned to face Craig and Nancy. "Craig, there you are!" She pulled Brady along with her, before enveloping her father in a hug at the foot of the stairs. "This is Brady Black, my.friend."  
  
Craig narrowed his eyes at Brady. "Brady Black of Basic Black? John Black's son?"  
  
"Yes, that'd be me. It's great to meet you Dr. Wesley. I know you're the chief of staff of Salem University Hospital. I've heard so much about you."  
  
"Funny, but I haven't heard a thing about you." He looked at his daughter expectantly.  
  
"Uhhh," Chloe stuttered. "Let's all go take a seat on the couch, okay? Sitting is good. Sitting down is great." They all took their places on the couch. Chloe sitting in a chair by the couch and Brady supporting her by sitting on the arm of the chair and taking her hand. "Brady and I." she trailed off. "We.I'm his.he's my.we're."  
  
Brady squeezed her hand. "Chloe and I are husband and wife. We were married last night." Aside from the quick gasp from Nancy's throat, the room was silent for a long while. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Brady cleared his throat. Craig Wesley was looking at him like he wanted to tear him apart.  
  
"I'd like to have a talk with Brady. Do you two ladies mind leaving us alone for a few minutes?" Craig waited for Chloe and Nancy to leave in the direction of the kitchen before he turned around to speak to this man, who claimed to be his daughter's husband. Two weeks ago, Chloe was engaged to Philip and now she was married to another man!? "Brady."  
  
"Craig.Dr. Wesley.sir," he trailed off and nervously cleared his throat, waiting for Craig to speak.  
  
"What were you two thinking?" ************************  
  
"What were you two thinking?" Nancy, leaning against the counter, crossed her arms over her chest and looked at her daughter sitting with her head in her hands at the kitchen table. "You barely know this man! How could you have possibly fallen in love with a man so quickly? And if you did, my G- d, what was the rush!?"  
  
"Brady and I are good together okay? We didn't want to wait."  
  
"You barely know him Chloe!"  
  
"That's not true. I've known his family for years."  
  
"Well, what about [i]him[/i]? When did you meet [i]him[/i]!?"  
  
"At Belle and Shawn's wedding five years ago but we were with other people at the time so." Chloe was glad she hadn't had to lie too much just yet.  
  
"You were 'with other people' week before last, Chloe! What changed?"  
  
"Philip cheated on me! That's what changed!" She blew out a frustrated breath.  
  
"Chloe.I know. I didn't mean it like that, I.I just want you to be happy. I just don't want you to regret this decision."  
  
"Oh, mom, trust me: I don't regret this one bit," Chloe spoke truthfully. She didn't regret marrying Brady at all. I mean, at first she had but after realizing what good could come out of this twisted union, she changed her mind.  
  
"You're a big girl Chloe and I trust your judgment. He is gorgeous; I'll give you that. Very sweet and very handsome." Nancy gave her daughter a small smile.  
  
"He is very handsome." Chloe wasn't sure about how "sweet" Brady was though so she left that out.  
  
"Well, let's go rescue your new hubby from your father." She laughed and pulled her arm around Chloe's shoulder.  
  
"Okay," Chloe giggled, sure that Craig had sufficiently torn Brady limb from limb by now. He had never liked Philip and he'd known Philip for years, plenty of time to warm up to him. Brady was toast. But both Chloe and Nancy got the shock of their life as they walked in on Craig and Brady hysterically laughing and patting each other on the back, chatting on about something. Chloe watched as Nancy inquired and joined in on the fun. Something about that old Dustin Hoffman movie "Tootsie." It was Craig's favorite movie and Chloe had just found out earlier that day, that Brady adored that movie as well. She hadn't even made the connection when Brady had told her.  
  
Nancy and Brady laughed as Craig did an impression from the movie. "Oh, that's great," Nancy tried to catch her breath as she walked over to Chloe and left the men to continue goofing around. "Looks like a good catch so far, honey." She nodded in Brady's direction as he and Craig began discussing football. "And you know what they say about girls and how they choose someone just like their father."  
  
Chloe's eyes widened as shook her head in disbelief. She certainly hoped that wasn't true. After all, she had not "chosen" Brady. They sort of just found each other. 'Whoa, hold on there, Chloe,' she scolded herself. This wasn't about love and forever and all that sappy stuff. She didn't even like Brady really. This was business. No matter how cute or funny he was; this was business, a kind of project. She sighed, suddenly very exhausted. Business. Right. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:  
  
Chloe pulled out of the Wesley driveway and drove with Brady towards the penthouse. They'd spent an hour and a half there-entirely too much time. But Brady, Craig and Nancy couldn't seem to stop talking. Chloe had just sat in awe of this man.her husband. as he seemed to genuinely enjoy her parent's company and they seemed to just as equally enjoy his. 'But this is all an act,' she reasoned. 'This isn't real.'  
  
Brady looked over at Chloe as she drove towards the penthouse. A lot seemed to be going on in that head of hers. She was probably wondering how in the hell he'd gotten along so well with her parents. Well, he couldn't help her because he hadn't a clue himself. But he had really liked them.a lot. Chloe was always so uptight, he'd thought her parents would be stiffs, but they were a riot. "Chloe?"  
  
"Hmm?" She didn't take her eyes off the road.  
  
"I really liked your parents. They were fun and hilarious, relaxed, just plain all around cool. So unlike you," he smiled.  
  
"Oh shut up." She gripped the steering wheel. He never could quit being a jerk with her. He was sweet and funny with her parents but no, he was such a jerk with her. If he hated her companionship so damn much, why did he even bother with this whole thing?  
  
"Chloe, I'm kidding," he laughed. He noticed her death grip on the steering wheel. "What's wrong? Why do you look so upset?"  
  
"It's nothing," she pushed the accelerator a little harder. 'I hate him. I hate him. I hate him,' she could think of nothing else.  
  
"Right," Brady decided not to push her further. ***************************  
  
"Come on in," John greeted Brady and Chloe as they stood outside the penthouse door. Brady and Chloe together? Not together, together. Not yet. Couldn't be. Chloe had just broken it off with Philip. "Brady, Chloe, it's great to see you two."  
  
"Thanks, Dad," Brady took Chloe's hand and led her to the couch.  
  
"We missed you at dinner last night, Brady." He poured and handed each of them a glass of water. What the hell was going on?  
  
"I had a.a previous engagement."  
  
Chloe suddenly coughed, choking on her water. Brady began patting and rubbing her back. "Oh my G-d, honey. Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine," she coughed again, trying to catch her breath.  
  
"Honey? Did you just call her honey?" John still wasn't sure he heard right.  
  
Brady smiled at his father, as he soothingly rubbed Chloe back and shoulders. "Can you get Marlena please? We have something we'd like to tell you."  
  
"Uh. sure. Uh. Belle and Shawn are here, with Marlena, in the kitchen. Do you want them here too?"  
  
"Even better," Brady grinned.  
  
"Okay, I'll be right back, you two. Don't go anywhere."  
  
"We wouldn't think of it," Brady pulled Chloe to him and kissed her temple.  
  
As soon as John left the room, Chloe covered her face in her hands and sighed. "This is awful."  
  
"What is?"  
  
"This charade, Brady." She ran a hand through her hair. "This act."  
  
"Are you nervous?" His brow furrowed in confusion.  
  
"No." She lied.  
  
"You're nervous." He smiled knowingly. "I can't believe it. You're nervous. You've got nothing to be nervous about Chloe; my parents love you. And I.I.[i]I[/i] think you're going to do just fine, okay?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Okay." He smiled and gave her hand a light squeeze.  
  
Marlena, John, Belle and Shawn entered; and after a happy round of greetings and such, they all sat leisurely down on the couch and chairs. "So," Shawn gave his friends a smile. "What is it you guys have to tell us?"  
  
"Well," Brady grinned and took Chloe's hand. "Chloe and I were married last night. We're husband and wife."  
  
"Isn't that fantastic!?" Chloe said a little too excitedly.  
  
Silence. *******************************  
  
"What were you two thinking!?" John paced his kitchen, while Brady and Chloe sat at the kitchen table, guilty looks on their faces. John had asked Belle and Shawn to wait in the living room while this was "discussed" in the kitchen.  
  
"John," Marlena put a hand on his shoulder. "They are adults, so before you blast them, remember that."  
  
He sighed, calming down-a little. "I just want to know why you two would rush and go do something so rash like this. I mean, don't get me wrong. I love you both. Chloe, you're like a daughter to me, you know that. But you just had your heart broken by Philip Kiriakis not two weeks ago. And you, Brady, you don't even believe in marriage. I just don't want to see either of you hurt."  
  
Brady sighed. "I know that dad and I love you for that, but what Chloe and I have is special." He reached for her hand and held it protectively. And as he turned to look at her, his breath caught in his throat. She was as beautiful as ever as she looked at his parents; but her brow was furrowed in sadness and worry. He'd put that worry there himself when he'd gotten her mixed up in this crazy scheme that he was slowly finding himself getting lost in. It seemed far too easy to fall in love with this woman. "What's not to love about Chloe?" Chloe turned to look at him suddenly, surprised. "She's kind, generous, funny. intelligent. beautiful. She puts up with me." He chuckled. "What's not to love?" He turned to look back at John and Marlena, unnerved by the words seemingly flying out of his mouth. "I know I've only known her a short time, but it doesn't take more than a second to see how incredible she is."  
  
John and Marlena were speechless. And Chloe sat there just staring at Brady. She was in awe and that brought a giddy smile to John's face.  
  
"Aw," Marlena enveloped the newlyweds in a warm hug. "You two are so darn gorgeous together."  
  
John repeated the action, pulling both Brady and Chloe into a hug. "I'm proud of you, Brady. All I've ever wanted was for you was to find love and it looks like you finally have and it couldn't have been with a better person. I'm happy for you both." He wiped his face, on the verge of tears. "Welcome to the family, Chloe. Well, officially anyway."  
  
They all broke into a quiet laughter and Belle and Shawn peeked their heads in the door. "All quiet on the western front?"  
  
"Yes, Belle," Brady smiled. "Actually, Chloe and I were just leaving."  
  
"Leaving? What!?" Belle pouted. While she and Shawn had been waiting in the living room for what seemed like hours, she'd been wracking her brain wondering how in the hell Brady and Chloe had gone from hating each other's guts one second to being happily in love and married the next.  
  
"Yes, Belle," Shawn reasoned. "Do you remember what it was like when we first got married? We couldn't wait to be alone."  
  
"Yeah, Belle," Chloe nodded, taking Brady's hand. "We'd like to go home." Chloe leaned up and pecked Brady on the cheek, causing him to look at her in shock.  
  
"Call me first thing in the morning. Both of you," Belle warned, wagging a finger at them.  
  
"Will do," Chloe gave her friend a hug.  
  
"Congrats, man," Shawn gave Brady one of those manly 'pat-on-the-back' hugs.  
  
"Thanks, man." He gave his sister a hug as well and led Chloe away. "Night everybody."  
  
"Good night," they all repeated in unison, in that 'don't-do-anything-that- I-wouldn't-do' tone.  
  
*************************  
  
The drive back to Brady's place had been virtually silent, both kind of lost in their own world. Chloe drove, trying to concentrate on the road but simmering inside, angry that this was so easy for Brady to pull off. He was a wonderful actor. Brilliant. He almost had her believing he loved her. And that pissed her off. Not that she even wanted Brady to love her. I mean, they barely knew each other and she wasn't interested in anyone that way anyway, especially him. She had just broken it off with her fiancé of three years, for G-d's sakes. Developing a crush on some womanizer like Brady was not wise or acceptable.  
  
Brady, on the other hand, could think only of the words he'd said about Chloe to John and he hated it. Where the hell had that come from? He'd sounded like such a sappy mush. But at least that had worked. At least his father was convinced they were suddenly in love. He turned to look at Chloe as she pulled up to the Salem Inn, his temporary home. G-d, she [i]was[/i] so incredible. She was so fun to be with and she was so sweet and so kind. So kooky. He felt a goofy grin bloom upon his face. Argh, he felt so guilty for pulling her into this charade. He was such a jerk. So he had to end this. He had to. "Chloe?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Nothing." He lost his nerve and looked out of the window.  
  
She turned to look at him. "No, what are you thinking, Brady?"  
  
He sighed, defeated. "That I don't want this night to end."  
  
"W-what?" Could it be that he, too, was feeling something happening between them?  
  
"Well, I mean it's been so fun.pretending, pretending to be in love," he covered. G-d, what was he? A young, punk kid on his first date? It felt awkward enough. "It was like practice for all the parties and dinners we'll be attending together."  
  
"Oh," she sighed disappointedly.  
  
"Plus, I was thinking, Philip doesn't know yet. It might be fun to run on over there tonight and give him the good news." He gave her a wicked grin.  
  
"Good night, Brady."  
  
"What? What'd I say? What's wrong?" She was silent, causing him to scoff. "Wasn't that the plan, Chloe? To make Philip jealous?" He could feel himself growing angry in frustration.  
  
"I'm sick of lying, that's all. I'm sick of lying to everyone we love. I'm sick of lying period. We've been at this what? Three hours? And I'm already tired of it!" She burst into tears.  
  
"Chloe, we knew telling our families would be the hardest part." He reached out to touch her shoulder.  
  
"No," she choked out. "Don't! I'm sorry, I'm just.emotional right now."  
  
"It's understandable," he replied quietly.  
  
She held up a hand to quiet him. "Stop being so G-d damned perfect! Stop understanding me and surprising me! You're supposed to be a jerk!"  
  
About to say something to calm her, her tone quickly caused his mouth to shut, as he looked on at her intently, desperate to hear what she had to say.  
  
"Philip broke my heart so very badly.so badly." She sniffled. "And then tonight. what you told John in the kitchen. about me..well, it was just all a little too much for me okay? Five years.I was with Philip for five long years and then you come along and tonight." she trailed off. "Never in my life has something said so simply, touched me so deeply. But I love Philip. I love Philip. I still love him," she said that more to herself than to Brady.  
  
"Chloe."  
  
"So good night. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning. We have to get you moved into my place." She wiped her face, staring unseeingly straight ahead.  
  
"Right," he cleared his throat. "Good night, Chloe." He got out of the car and watched as she drove away, knowing he'd made yet another mistake. He was such a coward. All he'd wanted to say was he wasn't acting tonight. She [i]was[/i] incredible and beautiful and wonderful and adorable. But Chloe didn't need some loser like him fawning over her and falling for her. And he was pretty damn sure she didn't want him to anyway so it was just as well. 'She was just confused and vulnerable,' Brady reasoned. Philip had hurt her and so, naturally, him saying those kind things about her tonight had affected her, given her mixed feelings. He now knew it would have to be 'Hands Off' where Chloe was concerned or one or the both of them would be hurt. He walked toward the Inn's entrance and sighed knowing this was only the beginning. "Dammit." What the hell had he gotten them into? 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:  
  
"What are you doing?" Chloe whispered in the darkness. Sitting wide eyed in her bed, she watched a nude Brady lift the sheets from her body in one swift motion exposing her to the cool air of her bedroom.  
  
"Doing something I should have done the first moment I laid eyes on you," he gave her body an appreciative stare and ran a hand up the inside of her thigh.  
  
Shuddering under his touch, both rough and gentle, she could barely form a coherent thought. "Wh..." she breathed. "Why?"  
  
"Because," the desire burning his eyes and clogging his throat, made Chloe's stomach do flip-flops. He crawled onto the bed and lifted her face to his, licking his lips, looking so very ready to press his to hers. "Because I. Ding Dong."  
  
"Wh-what?"  
  
He licked his all too soft lips again. "Because I Knock. Knock. Knock."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Wake up and answer the damn door, Chloe," he said matter-of-factly.  
  
Knock. Knock.  
  
Chloe groaned as she stretched out on her bed. So that was the door? This time of the morning? Ding Dong. Knock. Knock. "Ugh, I'm coming," Chloe pulled on her robe and slowly made her way to the door.  
  
She blushed as she realized that had all been a dream. What the hell was that!? Having a sex dream about Brady? Okay, so it technically wasn't a sex dream just yet but it damn sure would have been had she not been interrupted. Good G-d, what was the world coming to? And what idiot had decided to interrupt that?  
  
Ding Dong. Ding Dong. Ding Dong.  
  
"Would you hold your freaking horses," Chloe swung the door open, her face scrunched in annoyance. "Brady." she breathed out.  
  
"Good Morning, Mrs. Black," Brady, dressed simply in jeans and a white t- shirt, was leaning against the doorjamb, holding up a bag of fresh bagels.  
  
Hiding behind an angry mask, hoping and praying he wouldn't be able to see how seeing him on her front step had affected her. "Remember rule number one, Black."  
  
"Good Morning, [i]Chloe[/i]," he chuckled.  
  
"Brady, what are you doing here?" She walked away towards the kitchen, as he followed closely behind.  
  
"What do you mean, 'what am I doing here'? It's ten o' clock in the morning."  
  
"You're kidding," Chloe sat, shocked at her kitchen table as he handed her the bag of bagels. After she'd gone to drop Brady off last night, she'd gone home and cried her eyes out, cried her eyes out for what she and Philip had and what they lost. She had also cried because the stress of the day had gotten to her. And a little, itty bitty, teeny-weeny part had cried for Brady, for Brady to hold her and really want her, desire her.  
  
"I was beginning to think something happened to you," he sat across from her. "What took you so long to open the door? Having a sex dream about me?" He grinned naughtily.  
  
"Ha. Ha," she pulled out a chocolate chip bagel, trying hard to ignore the fact that Brady had brought her her favorite bagels.  
  
Brady watched Chloe intently as she frowned at her bagel. It took one look at her red eyes and puffy face to know she'd been crying. Damn that Philip Kiriakis. "Chloe, you look awful."  
  
"Why, thank you," she bit out sarcastically.  
  
"No, I completely meant that in the loving husband sort of way. Honest," he sighed when she gave him an 'are-you-crazy' look. "Look, I think you should just go shower and change. You'll feel better and we have to get me moved in here." He rubbed his hands together. "I rented a U-Haul and drove straight over. So that's taken care of. We just have to drop by my place, pick up my stuff and then it's just you and me, baby." He smiled.  
  
"But my coffee."  
  
"I know how you like your coffee. I'll make it. You just go take care of you, okay?" He practically pushed her out the kitchen door.  
  
****************************  
  
The Salem Inn.  
  
"Brady, I'm tired," Chloe plopped down on his couch. They'd been lugging boxes from his room here all morning after they left her place. Who knew Brady had so much crap? She hoped he didn't think he was going to bung up her house with all this junk.  
  
"You are not tired. It's all mind over matter," he replied, taking a seat next to her.  
  
"Tell that to my aching muscles," she tiredly rubbed her back. "Who knew you had so much crap?"  
  
"Hey, hey, be kind or I won't rub your back for you." He adjusted his place on the couch so that he could face her completely.  
  
"No, that's okay. I don't need you to do that," she visibly stiffened and tried to move away from his touch. "I don't need you to rub my back. Really." There was no way she was going to let him touch her like that, not after that dream this morning.  
  
"Now, now don't argue. I've been told I have expert hands." He rubbed his hands together and grinned.  
  
"By who? Marlena?" She giggled at the disgusted look on his face.  
  
"Okay, here's a rule for you: No dirty stepmother jokes."  
  
"Hmm.I don't know if I can agree to that." She pretended to seriously think it over.  
  
"Then I just won't give you a back rub." He mocked offense.  
  
She smiled. "I don't want one."  
  
"You're getting one, Chloe."  
  
"Brady," she whined.  
  
"No buts."  
  
"Dammit. Fine."  
  
"Now turn around," he commanded her and she reluctantly obliged. Gently, he gathered her hair in his hands and placed it over her shoulder to give him access to her back. Her hair smelled incredible: like honey and water lilies. G-d, only this woman could make a simple white shirt and pair of raggedy gray sweats look incredibly sexy. 'Oh, crap' he thought as he felt himself grow hard. 'Think about anything but that. Think about anything but that,' he repeated to himself over and over. "Your hair. smells really good.Chloe."  
  
"Uh, thanks."  
  
He placed his hands on her shoulders and began rubbing them, easing off a bit when he heard her gasp. "You're so tense." He put a little more pressure on her shoulders, rubbing a little harder, a little faster. "Try and relax."  
  
"I can't," she bit out, completely uncomfortable with his hands on any part of her body.  
  
"Why?" He whispered.  
  
"Because I don't like being touched like that by you," she whispered back.  
  
"Chloe, it's a back rub," he chuckled, using humor to try and ease some of the tension suffocating them both. "Completely platonic. I mean, we're friends, so what's the harm?" he continued to knead her shoulders.  
  
"Are we?" She felt herself start to relax under those oh so expert hands.  
  
"Are we what?" He stopped his task and waited for her answer.  
  
"Friends."  
  
"G-d, I'd hope so," he commenced with massaging her shoulders again. "We are married after all. I mean you can't honestly tell me you still hate my guts."  
  
Slowly, she dropped her head back onto his shoulder, eyes closed. "I [i]do[/i] hate you," she lied through her teeth.  
  
"I hate you too," he grinned looking at her, moving his fingers a little lower to her mid back.  
  
"Mmm." was all she could get out, completely hypnotized by his touch.  
  
"That feel good?" His voice took on a husky edge.  
  
"Mm hmm."  
  
He moved his hand a little lower. "How's that?"  
  
"Mm hmm," her voice barely above a whisper.  
  
"How's this?" he began to knead just above her behind, his hands moving towards her hips.  
  
Chloe's eyes snapped open and she flung her arm out, accidentally hitting her finger on his coffee table. "Ow, sh*t!"  
  
"Chloe,--"  
  
"Ow. Ow wow." Her face contorted in obvious pain as she flung her left hand about, trying to get the pain to cease.  
  
"Here let me see it," Brady spoke calmly.  
  
"No," she whined, still flinging her hand about.  
  
"Come on, don't be a baby." He gave her a look and so, reluctantly, she let him examine her hand. "What the hell did you do that for?" He chuckled.  
  
"I don't know," she lied. She couldn't tell him the truth: that she was so caught up in that damn massage, his hands on her body that she was about to turn around and ravage him on the couch. "Ah, I think it's broken."  
  
"Can you move it?" He watched her try and bend her middle finger to no avail. "Try and.try and bend it like this."  
  
"Ahh, I can't." She felt tears from the physical pain come to her eyes.  
  
"You're right it's broken. It's already swelling." He held her hand up to his face, studying it as it began to bruise.  
  
"Should we go to the hospital?" She looked at him wide-eyed. She needed to be anywhere but here, anywhere but alone with him in this apartment.  
  
"Why? So you can spend six hours in a crowded emergency room for them to give you an Ace Bandage, a Tylenol and a $700 bill to boot?"  
  
"Well, it's broken Brady. What the hell am I suppose to do?" She roughly pulled her hand from his hold and gasped in pain.  
  
"Keep it immobilized and it'll heal by itself. I've broken my finger like six times. You'll be fine."  
  
"But what about at work?"  
  
"What about work? Do you even work," he joked.  
  
"Susan watches 'The Sweet Bar' on weekends thank you very much. One of the perks to being an entrepreneur." She giggled.  
  
"Oh my G-d, Chloe." Brady looked at her pained hand in shock.  
  
"What? What is it?"  
  
"Your finger."  
  
"I know it's broken." The terror in his eyes had her panicking. "What? What's wrong?"  
  
"No, your other finger."  
  
"What? What is it?"  
  
"It's missing something," he said seriously.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"A ring, Chloe," he smiled. "You don't have a wedding ring."  
  
Relieved it wasn't something serious, she rolled her eyes. Damn this man was so infuriating sometimes. "I don't need a ring, Brady."  
  
"And just how accurate and believable will our plan be if you don't have a ring, hmm?" He raised his eyebrows in question.  
  
"I-"  
  
"Come on. We'll finish this packing later." He grabbed her good hand and dragged her out the door. ************************  
  
"You like that one, Chloe?" He smiled at her. For the passed half an hour, after stopping by the drugstore for a simple splint for her hand, they'd gone from jewelry store to jewelry store in search of a wedding/engagement ring. According to Brady, no ring was right for her. They were too gaudy, too plain or too unoriginal. Chloe had complained the entire time, not interested in receiving any ring from him. But Brady was determined to find her a ring, one that seemed made just for her. And that's when they'd come in here. Immediately he knew Chloe was meant to wear this ring when he saw glittering back at him from behind the case. It was white gold, with a round cut diamond set simply in the midst of a ring of sapphires. It was perfect, just like her. "Well?"  
  
"I don't want a ring Brady." Chloe crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
Brady looked to the shocked and confused salesman and smiled. "She broke her finger this morning. The medication is making her." he put a finger to his head and swung it around a few times. "A little loopy. I'll take care of this." He turned his attention back to Chloe. "Honey."  
  
"I don't want a ring," she punctuated each word with deliberate slowness.  
  
Brady simply plastered on a fake smile and turned to the salesman. "Excuse us." He led Chloe to a corner of the store where they proceeded to quietly argue. "Chloe," he whined.  
  
"No, Brady."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I just don't feel right with you buying me a ring."  
  
"For G-d sakes, Chloe. We are married. You must a have a ring. It's tradition."  
  
She raised an eyebrow at him. "So far we've been anything but traditional, Brady."  
  
"Well, that changes today." He lifted her chin up with his finger. "And I won't take no for an answer, Mrs. Black." He smiled at her, trying to work her over with his smile.  
  
Damn him and damn those lips. "Whatever," she conceded with a roll of her eyes, her finger in too much damn pain to fight him on this.  
  
"Thank you," he pecked her on the cheek and dragged her back to the counter, more excited than she was. "We'll take it."  
  
*********************  
  
As soon as they were out of the store, Brady pulled out the box containing the ring, letting the bag fall to the floor. "Here, let me put it on you."  
  
"Now?" Chloe's eyes widened, feeling kind of odd and uncomfortable with the entire situation.  
  
"Yes, now." He chuckled, in a kind of giddy mood.  
  
"Ugh, okay."  
  
"Chloe, could you be any less enthusiastic about this? I mean this ring only cost me 3, 000 dollars."  
  
"I didn't even want the damn ring, Brady."  
  
He merely rolled his eyes and gently slid the ring onto her finger, being mindful of her splint on the adjacent finger. "There." He grinned, loving the look of the ring on Chloe's hand, knowing it would look this perfect. "It's beautiful."  
  
Chloe couldn't help but be mesmerized by the lovely ring gracing her slender fingers. It was simple but so unlike any ring she'd seen before. It was just right. "It's gorgeous."  
  
Brady smiled knowingly at Chloe, but the smile fell when he noticed someone over Chloe's shoulder. "Uh oh. Showtime, Chloe. It's Philip at ten o' clock."  
  
"Wha-" but she was silenced when Brady crushed his lips to hers. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
  
  
"Uh oh. Showtime, Chloe. It's Philip at ten o' clock."  
  
"Wha-" she was silenced when Brady crushed his lips to hers. Initially, Chloe felt stiff all over, the unexpected shock of having Brady's lips pressed so roughly against hers, his hands possessively framing her face. But then it hit her: Brady's soft, succulent, luscious lips were pressed roughly against hers and his large, sexy hands. expert hands. were framing her face. "Mmm..." she moaned when she felt Brady's tongue touch hers. Her knees were giving out. Her damn knees were giving out in the best kiss of her life. Luckily, Brady felt her slipping downwards and held her up, though reluctantly breaking the kiss, leaving a very dazed and confused Chloe to stare at him in wonder.  
  
"Philip," he heavily breathed out trying to catch his breath from the kiss. "Good to see you man."  
  
"Brady." He looked from a grinning Brady to a seemingly drunk Chloe, both with bright red swollen lips. "What the hell is going on here?"  
  
"Chloe and I were just ring shopping," Brady said simply. "And look, we found a winner," he gently lifted Chloe's hand up, letting Philip get a good eyeful of the ring.  
  
"Ring shoahh? Don't tell me that.No way. That's just.You two!?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Philip. You're going to have to try and make sense now. What are you trying to say?" Brady chuckled at the pure disgust contorting Philip's pretty boy face.  
  
"Chloe, you and Brady are getting married? This is insane. This is some sick, twisted joke." 'Chloe loved [i]him[/i] dammit,' Philip thought to himself. Brady had put her up to this. "Chloe?"  
  
"Uh." Chloe was speechless. For one, she was still high off that kiss Brady had smacked on her. Secondly, Philip was standing here and she could think of nothing but Brady. This was supposed to be [b]her[/b] moment. She was supposed to be enjoying rubbing this in Philip's face but she couldn't help but feel so completely angry with Brady. He had kissed her, turned her world around with one kiss for this act, for this charade. Did nothing affect this man? It seemed every damned thing he did affected her and that pissed her off.  
  
"Chloe?" Philip eyed her, looking for any kind of reaction.  
  
"No, Philip," Brady spoke up for her, figuring he'd handle Kiriakis himself, as Chloe seemed to have lost her nerve. "Chloe and I aren't [i]getting[/i] married." Brady almost laughed at the look of relief that briefly crossed Philip's face. "We [i]are[/i] married."  
  
"You b%stard!" Philip shouted.  
  
"Philip, no!" Chloe screamed as he connected his fist to Brady's jaw with a right hook.  
  
"Okay Philip, time to die." Brady spoke calmly as he wiped a drop of blood from the side of his mouth.  
  
"No, Brady don't, please," Chloe begged him. Relief washed over her as Brady nodded in understanding. She turned away from him to face off with Philip. Philip was her battle. "How could you embarrass me like this in public, Philip?"  
  
"What did you expect me to do? He's married to you, Chloe!"  
  
"That's right Philip. Brady and I are husband and wife. We were married night before last. So hitting Brady won't solve anything. There's nothing you can do to change this."  
  
"How long's this been going on, Chloe? Have you been f&cking him the entire time we were together and thought you might use Cynthia and me as an excuse to call off our wedding?"  
  
"It figures that you would say that," she almost laughed out loud she was so upset. "I don't owe you any explanation."  
  
Knowing she was right, Philip sighed sadly, pleading with her and questioning her with his eyes. "Chloe, what have you done? How could you do this to us? We're meant to be together. You know that as well as I do." He pleaded, grasping her hands in his. "But instead you're trying to make me jealous by marrying my nephew. For what, Chloe? For what? I [i]already[/i] want you. You're the one who keeps pushing me away."  
  
"And right into Cynthia's arms, right Philip?"  
  
"I thought we were getting passed that." Philip swallowed audibly, taken aback by the fire in Chloe's eyes. He wanted to grab her arm, pull her away from here so he could talk this out with her. alone.away from Brady. But he knew Brady would have none of that and it seemed, from the absolute anger in Chloe's eyes, that she would have none of that either. "At least answer me this Chloe: Do you love him?" She was silent, so he pressed on. "Do you love him? Do you love Brady?"  
  
Brady smiled with glee, absolutely loving this situation. Here he was in the middle of some ridiculously hokey triangle. This was better than an episode of Days of Our Lives.  
  
"You lost me the second you ever laid a hand on Cynthia."  
  
"So you don't love Brady." Philip nodded in understanding. "I knew it."  
  
"Philip, get out of here," Chloe sighed and interlocked her arm in Brady's, suddenly needing his strength to help get her through this.  
  
Brady kissed the top of her head and narrowed his eyes dangerously at Philip. "You heard her: Get lost."  
  
He glared at Brady. "Something is going on here. There's something off about this marriage and I'm going to find out what it is and expose it to everyone because," not wanting to upset Chloe he stopped himself and turned to look into her eyes. "Because I want to protect you, Chloe."  
  
"Protect me? How is trying to break up my marriage protecting me, Philip?"  
  
"You don't know this b&stard like I do!" He lowered his voice. "You don't know him, Chloe. Cynthia and I are over now. I've told you that. What you saw the other night was a mistake. I was breaking it off with her, Chloe. I swear I was. So whatever you're doing." he trailed off. "I won't let you ruin your life because you're angry with us right now. I'll make you see how much we need each other, Chloe. I'll make you realize how perfect we are and always have been for each other. I'll make everything up to you. I promise." He walked away looking defeated, causing a trace of guilt to swim through Chloe's veins.  
  
"Chloe, you should have let me at him," Brady said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Oh, shut up and let's go get ice for your face." She felt the tears beginning to fall but willed them back into place.  
  
As Brady looked after her as she kept a few steps ahead of him, he sighed. How pathetic. Chloe felt guilty. When was she going to realize, Philip didn't deserve her? 'What and you do, Brady,' he asked himself. 'Hmmm.maybe.'  
  
**********************  
  
"Is that everything," Brady asked as he set the last box down in Chloe's place and plopped down on a chair. "We officially roomies?"  
  
"I think so," Chloe rose from the couch and strode towards the kitchen. "Now will you let me get you some ice for your face?" She didn't wait for his answer and was back out within seconds with a carton of frozen, veggie hotdogs in her hand.  
  
"Chloe, I told you an hour ago that I don't need any ice for this." He pointed to his lip. "Philip's a p&ssy fighter."  
  
"It's starting to bruise, Brady," she kneeled in front of him on the floor as he sat staring at her from his place in the chair. "Come on, let me at least stop the swelling."  
  
Brady nearly choked as those words fell passed her full lips. He was pretty sure her kneeling in front of him like that would only cause another part of his body to swell entirely. "Chloe, I'm fine."  
  
"Look Brady. I let you take care of my finger this morning so let me at least pay you back, okay?"  
  
He simply sighed in concession and let her grasp his chin with one hand and put the frozen carton on his lip with the other. He gasped as the icy object made contact with his pained lip. "F&ck, that hurts," he whispered in obvious pain.  
  
"P&ssy fighter, huh?" Chloe smiled. Brady only rolled his eyes. She giggled.  
  
"Ran out of steak?" Brady joked, gesturing to the veggie hot dogs pressed to his lip.  
  
"Ha. Ha. Veggie hot dogs are delicious."  
  
"Riiight." Brady chuckled softly.  
  
"They are." Chloe pulled the hotdog carton from his lips. "Let me see," she reached out and slowly ran her thumb along his lips. G-d, what lips. He had kissed her today and it was marvelous. She wanted more of that, more of him. She was in lust, she finally admitted to herself. I mean the sex dream this morning, the kiss today. But who could blame her? The guy was simply a sun-kissed gift from the gods. She had to be careful though. She was vulnerable. She knew that much. She couldn't get lost in this. She wanted Philip back. She loved Philip, right? And Brady wanted nothing to do with her. He was out for reasons of his own.  
  
Brady watched in amazement as she focused her attention on his lips, studying them, touching them. He couldn't help himself as he pressed his lips together and lightly kissed the pad of her thumb. He watched as she brought her large eyes up to meet his heat-filled gaze. Without a word, he brought his hand to her face, smoothed down her hair and tucked it behind her ear. They sat there staring at each other for quite sometime, Brady had no idea how long. G-d, she was so beautiful staring up at him like that, looking like a wide-eyed cherub that had fallen from heaven. He felt his heart melting. The next thing he knew, he was bringing his face down to hers and swallowing her in a passionate kiss. They sat there quietly exploring each other's mouths with their tongues, running their hands through the other's hair. Brady had wanted this, needed this since last night when she had driven him home. He knew that he didn't really have to kiss her outside that jewelry store today to make Philip jealous. All he'd really had to do to piss Philip off was hold her hand, but dammit he had wanted to kiss her so badly. He had put that ring on her finger and felt so damn giddy, so damn confident. And now he was kissing her again, to hell with rhyme or reason. He wanted this and if anyone was going to stop it, he was damn sure it wouldn't be him.  
  
Chloe ran her hand through Brady's hair, pulling it in all directions, mussing it up. She couldn't think and didn't want to. Thinking meant she had to put an end to this fantasy. He was just so sexy. "Mmm." she bit down on his lower lip, forgetting about his injury.  
  
"Oh, sh&t!" Brady pulled back and his hand flew to his lips.  
  
"Oh, Jesus, I'm sorry Brady."  
  
"It's okay Chloe. It's fine," he rubbed his lip softly.  
  
"I was just so excited. I didn't even think," she reached out to caress his lips.  
  
He caught her wrist, certain her touching his lips again was not a good idea. Things could get carried away again and he certainly didn't want to be emotionally attached to someone who was pining away for someone else. "It's okay. Honest it is," he tried to reassure her as redness flooded her cheeks. "Look, we've had a hectic day. What do you say instead of going to Belle and Shawn's for dinner that we invite them over for pizza instead?"  
  
Chloe frowned. "Okay." Quietly, she pulled her wrist from his grasp and walked towards the kitchen to put the hotdogs away. She was so embarrassed. Oh G-d, she was so embarrassed. She had practically bitten off his lip just now. What was she thinking? She had never gotten that way with Philip. What was happening to her? She slid down into one of the chairs at her kitchen table and let her forehead fall to the table.  
  
Brady sat alone in the living room, waiting for her to come out of the kitchen. He wanted her to. He wanted to see her so badly, tell her not to be so embarrassed about what had just transpired between them but hell, he didn't know what had just happened either. And so he was pretty relieved she hadn't come out of the kitchen just yet. He didn't know what he would say to her if she did. So he picked up the phone and dialed his sister's number.  
  
"Hello?" Belle picked up after the third ring.  
  
"Hey, it's Brady."  
  
"Hey, are you guys coming tonight or what?"  
  
"Ahhh." he looked towards the kitchen door. "No."  
  
"Ahhh.No!? But Brady, I need to talk to you and Chloe about this situation you've gotten yourselves into."  
  
"You and Shawn can come by if you like instead. We were thinking we just wanted to stay in and get some pizza."  
  
"Pizza? Brady, I slaved over a kitchen stove all evening cooking some of my famous garlic and bean casserole."  
  
"Well, it's a good thing we're not coming over after all."  
  
"Brady, that is so not funny. Look, tell you what, if Shawn has the same reaction to my casserole as you did when he gets home from work, then we're coming over to your place, okay?"  
  
"Fine by me, Belle," he smiled.  
  
"I'm pretty sure we won't be over though. Shawn loves my casseroles."  
  
"I'm sure he does," Brady chuckled. "Bye, Belle."  
  
"Bye, Brady."  
  
Certain Chloe was beating herself up about the kiss, Brady decided to ease her guilty conscience. Although, he truly believed she shouldn't feel even remotely guilty for any of this. Philip had cheated on her, betrayed her with another woman. They had only kissed. "Only kissed," Brady sighed. "If only," he muttered to himself. Slowly but surely, these "kisses" were becoming more than just "kisses" to him. But he was pretty certain Chloe didn't feel the same way. He was definitely going to have to put a stop to this. He was beginning to care about her and he hated that... mostly because he knew Chloe would never grow to care for him. "Chloe?" he peeked his head into the kitchen. "Is it safe to enter?"  
  
"Yes," she didn't remove her head from the table.  
  
He chuckled. "Chlo-eee.Look, honey, it's okay. My lip is fine. I'll live. Honestly, your bark is worse than your bite."  
  
She looked up at him and smiled. "You're such a goof."  
  
"You okay?" he sat across from her.  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"Philip is an idiot," the words seemed to be flying out of his mouth again, surprising both him and Chloe. 'Shut up Brady. Shut up Brady. Shut up Brady,' he thought to himself. "He's a fool and so are you to have ever thought that he deserves you."  
  
"Excuse me? Look," she sighed trying to compose herself. She was so damn confused by this man. Only he could insult her and think he was somehow complimenting her. "I appreciate your concern but you told me once to stay out of your life, stay out of your business. Well stay out of mine. I don't need you, Brady. I can handle Philip on my own, without your help or advice." She wanted to scratch his eyes out, she was so angry. Why did he even pretend to care? And why did she care if he did or not?  
  
"Well, you couldn't seem to handle him today, Chloe."  
  
"I hate you," she said simply, looking him straight in the eye, truly believing she did.  
  
"You certainly weren't hating me ten seconds ago in that living room when you practically sucked my face off."  
  
"Go to hell, Brady," she strode out of the kitchen. For some reason, she wasn't in the mood to fight with Brady any longer.  
  
"Chloe, I'm sorry." Ahh, why did he always say the wrong thing around her? "Where are you going?" He followed her out.  
  
"I suddenly have a headache so I'm going to bed." She slammed the door to her bedroom, locking it behind her.  
  
"What am I suppose to tell Belle and Shawn?"  
  
"I don't care what you tell them, I am going to sleep!"  
  
Looking at her door, he put his hands on his hips. "Well, what about me!? Where am I supposed to sleep!?" He paused as he heard her unlock and open her door.  
  
"Here!" She threw a pillow in his face and slammed the door once again.  
  
"Thanks!" He yelled. "Thanks for nothing!" It was only six in the evening and she was going to bed. What a diva. Just because he didn't butter her up, tell her what she wanted to hear, she suddenly had a headache. "Marriage really sucks," he muttered as he crashed on the couch, figuring he'd at least try and get some sleep. 


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:  
  
The Next Morning.Basic Black.  
  
Brady sat at his desk, staring unseeingly ahead at his door as he thought back to earlier this morning. Chloe didn't say a word to him. They sat in silence drinking the coffee he'd prepared for them both. And then she just left, off to 'The Sweet Bar' without so much as a 'See ya later, Brady.' Of course, he didn't say anything to her either but women were supposed to be more mature than men. Isn't that what Marlena was always telling him? Chloe could have at least apologized to him. His back was killing him because he'd had to sleep on that couch, not that he thought Chloe would let him sleep in her bed with her. But he specifically remembered her saying something about an inflatable bed she had packed in a box in her closet. He could have used that last night but she had locked her door and refused to come out and show her face until morning. He felt his eyelids grow heavy and looked at the NY Jets clock ticking away on the wall. He had two hours until his meeting with 'Swirly Shoes' began so he figured he should take a quick nap. No sooner had he had that thought, that his head plopped ungracefully on the table as he snored quietly.  
  
Knock. Knock. Knock.  
  
Slowly, Brady lifted his head from the desk. He was surprised his father's secretary (who was now his secretary as John had left for vacation this morning) hadn't intercomed him. "Come in?"  
  
Chloe let the door slowly swing open as she stood in the doorway dressed in a black formfitting trench coat, her long, dark hair splayed loosely down her back. "Brady."  
  
"Chloe?" Brady's voice squeaked slightly.  
  
"That's right." She walked into his office and closed the door firmly behind her, locking them in.  
  
"Why aren't you at work?" Brady's eyes were wide and his voice was almost panicked.  
  
"You mean you're not happy to see me?" She pouted.  
  
"No!" He stood from his chair. "I mean yes! I mean no! I'm definitely happy to see you. I've been thinking about you all morning."  
  
"That's sweet." She grinned. "You know, I've been thinking about you too, Brady.all morning and [i]all[/i] last night." She began to untie her coat.  
  
"You have?" Brady swallowed audibly.  
  
"Uh huh." She let the trench coat fall to her feet, now standing completely nude except for the way too big New York Jets football jersey hanging loosely on her body. "I want you Brady."  
  
Did she just say she wanted him? "Can you repeat the last thing you just said?" Brady wanted her to say it again, not quite sure he'd heard her right.  
  
"I said 'Brady.'"  
  
"No," he grinned. "Before that."  
  
"I want you, Brady." She began to walk over to him, like a sleek lioness after her prey.  
  
"Again." He grinned, loving the look of pure want and desire burning brightly in her eyes.  
  
"I want you, Brady." She crawled onto his lap, straddling him and running her hands through his hair, all the while whispering in his ear. "I want you, Brady."  
  
"And again." He smiled, getting drunker by the second, every time she spoke those four intoxicating words.  
  
"Brady!"  
  
Brady's eyes snapped open and his shocked gaze met an angry Chloe's. It had been a dream. F&ck, it had been a dream. "Chloe.what are you doing here?" he sat back in his desk chair. She was dressed in a beige knee length skirt and a black, formfitting button down blouse, looking as sexy as ever.  
  
"I brought you something." She laid a full brown paper bag in front of him and leaned her hip against the side of his desk. "Jamie buzzed you about ten times but you wouldn't answer. She said that you were probably sleeping and that I should just go on in." She tried to look unconcerned but she had been worried when he hadn't answered Jamie's buzzes through the intercom. She was so relieved to see that he [i]had[/i] been sleeping after all. He had looked so adorable when she'd walked in. His black jacket hanging loosely on the back of his chair, and his pale yellow shirt making his hair seem a more brilliant blonde. She'd noticed his tie was off too. He'd been in his office not three hours and his tie was already discarded for the day.  
  
He raised both eyebrows at her and smiled innocently. "You brought me something huh?" He started to dig into the bag.  
  
"It's not much, Brady. It's just a bottle of pain killers because I noticed your back was hurting you this morning and some chocolate milk to wash it down."  
  
"And some brownies." Brady's smile grew as he pulled the container of brownies from the bag.  
  
"And some brownies," Chloe gave him a slight smile.  
  
"Peanut butter chunk brownies, Chloe. My favorite." He looked up at her in surprise. "How did you know?"  
  
"I asked Belle this morning." She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.  
  
"You've spoken to Belle?" He dug into the brownies stuffing a whole one into his mouth.  
  
"Yes. I felt bad about what happened between us last night."  
  
"You talked to Belle about our fight?" His mouth was full.  
  
Chloe looked at his chewing mouth disgustedly. "Well, I didn't give her the details but yes, I told her that we did have a fight and that I felt kind of bad about it. So she suggested that I make you something and so I did."  
  
He swallowed and licked his lips, nearly speechless. "So I guess this was her idea too then huh?" He held up the Styrofoam cup of chocolate milk and bottle of ibuprofen.  
  
"No, actually that was my idea."  
  
"What makes you think I like chocolate milk?"  
  
"Look, if you don't appre-"  
  
"Chloe.Chloe I was kidding." He smiled and gently took her hand in his. "Thank you. Thank you for doing all of this."  
  
"You're welcome." She averted her eyes from his intent stare.  
  
"How's your hand?" he continued to stare at her as she tried to look at anything but him.  
  
"It still hurts but it's better than yesterday."  
  
"And your heart?"  
  
She suddenly looked at him, pulling her hand away from his and frowning. "Brady."  
  
"No, wait Chloe. I'm sorry. I don't mean to butt into your business but. I like you. Chloe. I.I really like you. And I just.I want to be here for you. I want to be your friend and help you deal with this." He reached out and took her left hand in his again, softly rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, gazing at the ring that sparkled on her finger that was beginning to represent more to him than he ever thought possible. "Now even though I don't think Philip deserves you at all, I'm not going to say anything else against you wanting him back okay? Because I respect you and I want you to be happy and I want you to know that I'm here for you."  
  
Chloe was flabbergasted. Brady wanted to be there for her? Was he asking to be her friend? She was at a loss for words but one came to mind, however unintelligent sounding it was: "Ditto."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Patricia." she trailed off, knowing that mentioning her would affect Brady.  
  
"Patricia," he repeated her. "It's funny. I'm beginning to realize that she and I were never meant to last. I mean I loved her and I guess in a way some part of me always will. She was my first love, my only love. so far. but the kind of love we had was never deep. I know that now."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, like, I guess I mean that what she and I had was a kind of puppy love. I adored her and for a time, she adored me. It was sweet. I mean I desired her, no question. She was beautiful and kind and.but," he sighed. "I guess, with Patricia, I loved the idea of being in love with her more than I ever did her."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"Well, what I mean is that I don't really miss her. I don't think I ever really did miss her." He ran a hand through his hair, trying to find the right words. "But what I did miss was the feeling of what it was like being with her. I missed being able to care about someone and have her care for me. I missed getting to know someone intimately. That's what I miss. But I know myself better now than I ever have in my life and so in a way I'm happier now."  
  
"You are?"  
  
"Yeah." He blew out a breath. "I mean, granted, I want to fall in love again, but."  
  
"But you don't believe in love," she finished for him.  
  
"That's not entirely true," he smiled sheepishly, blushing slightly. "I just don't think I'll ever find it. The truth is that sometimes I think Patricia is and was the best I'll ever do."  
  
"I know the feeling," Chloe gave him a small smile.  
  
"But then I stop drowning my sorrows long enough to think. And I truly believe that if Patricia and I were meant to be together, then we would be together now. I believe that everything that happens, happens for a reason. And if Patricia was my soulmate, I never would have let her go to begin with. I would have forgiven her anything."  
  
"If she was your soulmate, you wouldn't [i]have[/i] to forgive her anything."  
  
"You're right about that Chloe." Brady nodded at her, wondering if she'd take her own advice. "What," he asked her as he noticed her smiling goofily at him.  
  
"Nothing, it's just.You believe in soulmates?"  
  
"I know," he held up his hands in mock surrender. "Surprise, surprise. Contrary to popular belief, I'm really all mushy and warm and fuzzy inside. It's disgusting." He laughed.  
  
"You're a great guy, Brady," Chloe looked at him seriously. "And you'll find love and it'll be even better than it was before. You'll see."  
  
"Thanks, Chloe. That truly does mean a lot coming from you." They sat there staring at each other again. "Okay enough sappy talk," he laughed, breaking the spell. "Have some brownies." He scooped up some in between his fingers.  
  
"No Brady. I work with that stuff all day, I couldn't." but he stuffed some in her mouth before she could close it. "Mmm.that's delicious."  
  
"Isn't it?" He grinned wickedly.  
  
"Yes, now give me some of that chocolate milk."  
  
"Get your own." He held the cup away from her.  
  
"Brady." she gave him a warning look.  
  
Smiling, he handed her the cup and watched as she took a generous sip. "So are we officially friends now?"  
  
"I think it's safe to say that." She handed him the cup back.  
  
Chugging down some of the warm liquid, he then put the cup down and wiped his face with his sticky fingers. "So, like I asked you before, Diva dear: 'How's your heart?'"  
  
She sighed. "Definitely better. Definitely. Good luck with your meeting, Mr. Black." She smoothed his short hair back and let her hand rest on his cheek.  
  
Cupping her hand on his cheek in his, he placed a soft kiss to her palm. "Have a good day.Mrs. Black."  
  
She didn't correct him this time, almost loving the sound of 'Mrs. Black' directed at her. As she made her way to the door, she turned around abruptly. "So, how long are we going to do this?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Stay married."  
  
"Well," Brady shrugged. "Until you get sick of me, I guess."  
  
Laughing, Chloe quietly left the room and slowly made her way over to the empty elevator in a kind of daze. It was like a weight being lifted off of her shoulders. She didn't have to pretend to hate Brady anymore. They were friends. Okay so they were friends who'd made love, friends who'd gotten married, friends who'd kissed again only yesterday. But they were friends...finally. Chloe smiled. In all the years of meeting people and making friends, she'd never gone about finding one this way. This was crazy. Well it figured. Brady was no ordinary guy and she was finally beginning to realize that. 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:  
  
One month later.Lunch time.The Brady Pub.  
  
"I'm just saying I think the Jets have a real chance this year. I'm not trying to take anything away from the Bears." Brady laughed and took a swig of rootbeer, standing to leave.  
  
"No way man," Shawn grinned, standing also. "The Bears were 13 and 3 last season and their division is going to suck this year. It'll be a cakewalk."  
  
"Okay, okay.we'll see." Brady walked with his cousin towards Shawn's police cruiser. "I love when you take me out in this thing, man. It's awesome."  
  
"What are you Brady? Fifteen?" Shawn chuckled as he pulled out of the parking lot, in the direction of Basic Black.  
  
"You sound like Chloe. She's always teasing me about that." Brady couldn't help but smile. "I can't help it if I'm easily excitable."  
  
"You're just like Belle. You know Belle's thinking about getting one of those oversized exercise bouncy balls. I think they're ridiculous looking, not to mention highly over priced."  
  
"Oversized bouncy balls?"  
  
"Oh, you know what I mean. Those huge balls women sit on and kind of bounce up and down. Honestly, I think Belle thinks she'll get some sort of sexual gratification from the damn thing."  
  
"Oh Shawn, please. Do not mention sex and my sister's name in the same sentence."  
  
"Whatever man."  
  
"Chloe wants a Bowflex, one of those home gym things. I told her she could use my weights but she says she wants her own. Whatever. I just think she likes ordering stuff off of the TV."  
  
"That's hilarious. Belle's the same way."  
  
"Hey, think we could stop off at the supermarket?"  
  
"Yeah sure. Why?"  
  
"Well, I think I'm going to take off from work a little early today and bring Chloe some ice cream. She's been a little sick."  
  
"Yeah sure. No problem man. So, uhh what's going on between you two anyway?"  
  
"Who? Me and Chloe?"  
  
"Yes, don't play dumb. You and Chloe."  
  
"Nothing. Nothing's going on." Brady said a little too quickly for Shawn's taste. "And you've known that for three weeks, Shawn." It was true. Belle and Shawn were not convinced Brady and Chloe had suddenly fallen in love. And so three weeks ago, both had finally gotten Chloe and Brady to admit that their marriage was a farce. "Chloe and I are friends, plain and simple."  
  
"I don't know if anything is simple when you two are involved."  
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Don't get all crabby, Brady." Shawn chuckled, loving the sight of Brady squirming. "I'm just saying lately you haven't been able to stop talking about Chloe. Chloe says this. Chloe says that. Chloe loves this. Chloe hates that. It just seems like you two have gotten really close. I think it's great."  
  
"Well, Chloe and I [i]have[/i] gotten pretty close. I mean our plan is going off without a hitch. Things are going good. Basic Black is doing better than ever. Reports show we're zooming passed Titan in second semester earnings so far. Philip's acting like a gentleman, doing his best to get Chloe back."  
  
"How do you mean?"  
  
"Well, he sends flowers, calls her. That kind of thing. Chloe sends the flowers and gifts back of course, pretends it doesn't affect her. But he's persistent."  
  
"And that doesn't bother you."  
  
"No, it doesn't. Like I said, Chloe and I are friends-[i]just[/i] friends." He looked out of his window at the passing scenery. "I mean, even if I think Philip is a d&ck and doesn't deserve her, I just want her to be happy."  
  
"See, it's that."  
  
"What?"  
  
"That look you get on your face whenever you talk about Chloe and Philip. You've got your sister inventing these wild stories, going on about you having fallen in love with Chloe. And I have to say, I usually just scoff but I'm beginning to wonder." Smiling, he watched Brady out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"Well, stop wondering," Brady shot a look that would have anyone, who didn't know what a goof Brady was, running. "I mean I.care about Chloe. It's only natural. She's a great woman. But I [i]can't[/i] fall in love with her."  
  
"You [i]can't[/i]. What does that mean?"  
  
"It means she's still hung up on Philip."  
  
"How can you tell?" Shawn couldn't help but laugh at his cousin.  
  
"I don't know. She just gets this look on her face whenever he calls or sends something."  
  
"What kind of look?"  
  
"I dunno. A look, okay!?"  
  
"So you think Chloe's still stuck on Philip huh?"  
  
"I know so."  
  
"So what if this afternoon, you get home with the ice cream and Chloe tells you she's madly in love with you and could care less about Phil and she wants to spend the rest of her life with and have like ten babies with you?" They both burst into a fit of laughter.  
  
"I'd tell her she's out of her f&cking mind," Brady chuckled. "But see that's irrelevant, Shawn, because that is never going to happen."  
  
************************  
  
Brady walked through the door into the sticky, humid abyss that was Chloe's apartment. Well it had become 'their' apartment as they'd both been splitting all of the bills the past month. About three days ago, though, the air conditioner ceased to function. Brady joked that coming home from work was like walking into a sauna. Not finding it the least bit funny, Chloe delegated Brady to give the super a call but no sign of the super three days later. And so now, Chloe stood sweating heavily atop a wooden ladder. In cut off jean shorts and white tank top, her hair piled high atop her head, she peered into one of the air vents, a plastic spatula in her hand. "Chloe, what in G-d's name are you doing?" Brady looked up at her, shaking his head and setting the ice cream on the coffee table.  
  
"I'm trying to fix the air conditioner," she murmured, not looking at him.  
  
"The super said he would fix it."  
  
"Three days ago, Brady."  
  
"So? He's probably been busy."  
  
"And what? I haven't?" She finally looked down at him, pointing the spatula to her chest.  
  
"Dammit Chloe," he peeled off his light brown collar shirt revealing his white tank underneath. Yes, it was hotter than hell in here but Chloe had also managed to raise his temperature lately. Every time he looked at her now, random Barry White songs would begin playing in his head. "Come down and I'll call the super again."  
  
"No, it's too late. I've already started." She inserted the spatula into one of the vents. "Ah-choo," she sneezed and sniffled. "I won't let him get the glory," she pulled a Kleenex from her pocket and roughly wiped her nose.  
  
"Don't be silly. Come down." He shook the ladder slightly.  
  
"Dammit Brady don't do that! I'll fall."  
  
"That's kind of the plan," he chuckled, shaking the ladder again.  
  
"Brady if I fall, I am going to kill you."  
  
"Not if the drop doesn't kill you first." He laughed and wiped the sweat beginning to accumulate on his brow. "Can't we just call the super?"  
  
"He's such a jerk. Nothing ever gets done with him. You called him three days ago and we haven't gotten so much as an 'I'm working on the problem' from him."  
  
"Well, Diva, I'm pretty sure a spatula will do nothing for the air conditioner." He shook the ladder again.  
  
"Stop that!"  
  
"Come down here Chloe, please? You're sick and you're going to hurt yourself."  
  
"I'll be fine. Ha-choo! Ugh." she shook her head and wiped her nose again.  
  
"Look, truth is, I have a confession to make." He leaned against the ladder and looked up at her innocently.  
  
"Yes," she narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.  
  
"Well, remember three days ago when the air conditioner broke and well, I had a lot of things on my mind. We'd gone to that dinner party the night before and the account at work was being wrapped up and Craig needed help with the clothes dryer and well, for some insane reason, we hadn't gone to pick up any groceries yet."  
  
"Spit it out, Black."  
  
"I didn't call the super like you asked."  
  
"Brady! I asked you to do one thing! One!" It was then she felt herself lose her balance and begin to fall. Like magic, Brady's arms wrapped firmly around her middle holding her up against the ladder, keeping her from hitting the floor.  
  
"I've gotcha."  
  
"Ahhh..." she whined. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, partly from the scare of falling and partly because Brady's arms were wrapped tightly around her waist, his face mere inches from her own.  
  
"You okay?" His eyes were full of concern, his brow furrowed with worry.  
  
"Ahh." she looked down, wanting to avoid an awkward situation. "I think I twisted my knee," she lied.  
  
"Well, let's get you settled over on the couch then." He swung her easily into his arms and walked in the direction of the couch when a buzzer in the kitchen went off. "What's that?"  
  
"My cookies."  
  
"Cookies hmm?"  
  
"Yes," she settled her arms around his neck. "To the kitchen my man."  
  
"Aye, aye cap'm."  
  
"You'll have to let them cool, Brady," she pointed a finger at him as he settled her in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. He looked so cute pulling on a Mickey Mouse potholder.  
  
"Smells great." He opened the oven and pulled out the tray of cookies. "Probably tastes great too."  
  
"Brady."  
  
"Okay, okay. I won't touch them...yet." He kneeled in front of her. "Let's just take a look at your knee." He gently wrapped both hands around her knee, squeezing slightly. She suddenly gasped. "You okay? Did I hurt you?"  
  
"Uh huh," she lied again and nodded, wide-eyed.  
  
"Sorry," he got up and pulled something out of one of the kitchen drawers and an ice pack from the freezer. "I promise I'll be gentle this time." He laid the ice pack on her knee and slowly began wrapping an Ace bandage around it.  
  
She grinned. "You sure you weren't a boy scout?"  
  
"Truthfully?" He gave her a playful grin. "I was for one year when I was like eight but I was dishonorably discharged for throwing water balloons at our leader."  
  
"You rebel you," she joked.  
  
"Hey, I was pretty cool back then okay? I was badass."  
  
"Awww."  
  
"What?" Brady asked her.  
  
"It's nothing," she couldn't keep the goofy smile off her face.  
  
"Stop looking at me like that."  
  
"Why?" She giggled.  
  
"Because I haven't had sex in over a month and I'm on a very short leash," he said seriously.  
  
Her smile fell in an instant. "You haven't." she trailed off, genuinely surprised. "But that means that."  
  
He looked down, concentrating on bandaging Chloe's knee. "You were my last."  
  
"But.why?"  
  
"Well, we're married so.I don't know. It just didn't feel right." He patted her knee. "There. All finished. Can I have a cookie now?"  
  
"I guess that'd be okay," she smiled.  
  
Grabbing a chocolate-chocolate chip cookie from the tray, he ripped off a piece and popped it in his mouth, loving the warm, fluffy taste of the freshly baked cookies. "Mmmm.these are incredible, Chloe."  
  
"Yeah, I was testing out new cookies for the shop. Can I have a piece," she pouted.  
  
"Ahh, a little piece I guess." He kneeled before her chair and brought the cookie up to her mouth, pulling it back before she could take it in her mouth.  
  
"Brady."  
  
"Okay, okay," he chuckled and brought the cookie up to her mouth, only to pull it back again.  
  
"Brady!" She grabbed his hands and led the piece of cookie to her waiting mouth, taking it gently, her lips grazing lightly over his fingers. "Mmmmm.." She closed her eyes, obviously in chocolate chip cookie ecstasy.  
  
Brady looked at her in awe. This was all just too much for him. Even sick with a nasty cold, she was just about the hottest thing he'd ever seen. "Oh G-d," he bit out.  
  
"What," her eyes snapped open, visibly concerned.  
  
"Um, I was just thinking: These are great and you know what would go great with this?" He gave her a small smile.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Ice cream."  
  
"Yeah but we don't have any." She frowned.  
  
"Ah, but that's where you're wrong. I bought some today when I stopped off at the supermarket. Race you to the living room." He grabbed a spoon and headed for the door.  
  
"Brady!" He turned as she simply pointed to her leg. "My knee." She smiled sweetly.  
  
"I completely forgot." He swung her into his arms again and headed out of the kitchen. "Still hurt?"  
  
"Not as much anymore but I don't want to put too much pressure on it," she smiled. Okay, so her knee was perfectly fine but she was cocooned in Brady's arms. He was carrying her around the house. Ahhhh. Chloe nearly swooned at the thought. She'd [i]had[/i] to do this. For weeks now she was trying to do anything to get Brady to notice her. She even pretended to just adore all of the things Philip had sent her, all the phone calls he made. But to no avail. Brady could care less. Chloe sighed in obvious despair.  
  
"Does it hurt that bad," Brady asked her as he set her gently on the couch. He propped up her foot on the coffee table with a few couch cushions.  
  
"More than you know Brady, more than you know." She suddenly sneezed. "Ugh, I feel awful."  
  
"Aww.cookies n' cream ice cream cures all." He opened the tub of ice cream and cursed. "It's melted."  
  
"Well, it's like 10, 000 degrees in here, it's no wonder," she chuckled.  
  
"I was going to get around to it. I swear I was."  
  
"Get around to what?"  
  
"Calling the super." He reached for the phone.  
  
Giving him a warm smile, she put a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Let's eat first."  
  
"Okay, anything you want, Chloe." He swallowed a spoonful of melted ice cream and began licking the spoon and some of the ice cream that had trickled down his hand.  
  
Chloe sighed again. She wanted Brady. 


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:  
  
Two weeks later. The Java Café.  
  
"This is ridiculous," Chloe muttered, taking a sip of Orange Pekoe tea. "Are you sure Brady's not gay?"  
  
Belle roared with hysterical laughter before catching her breath, long enough to answer her best friend's question. "Brady is most definitely not gay."  
  
"Well then why won't he notice me?" Chloe whined and let her forehead fall to the table.  
  
"Chloe, pull yourself together. You sound like whiny teenager."  
  
"Gee. Thanks Belle," Chloe muttered, still not lifting her head.  
  
"I'm only saying Chloe that you have [i]got[/i] to get things in perspective. What is Brady [i]supposed[/i] to think? You keep receiving all of these gifts from Philip and he's calling you at all times of the day and night. You think that doesn't bother Brady?"  
  
She looked up at Belle and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Well, you wouldn't know it with the way he's been practically trying to push Philip and I together."  
  
"He is?" Belle was honestly surprised.  
  
"Well not really but it sure feels that way. I mean he hasn't said a word against Philip in weeks. He seems to enjoy Philip's lame attempts at wooage."  
  
"Wooage?"  
  
"Oh you know: courting me and such."  
  
"Chloe, honey, maybe he's just trying to be a good friend. Didn't I tell you before that Brady makes a super friend once you really get to know him?"  
  
"Yes you did, but." she covered her face in her hands.  
  
"But what?"  
  
"But I don't want to be [i]just[/i] his friend," she whined. "I just don't know what else I can do to get him to realize that."  
  
"You're playing mind games with my brother Chloe, not that I don't think he's doing the same thing with you. You're both very annoying people. I figured this so-called marriage you two insist upon having would end up biting you both in the butt."  
  
Chloe only groaned.  
  
"Now don't get all discouraged, Chloe. This whole, crazy charade comes down to one thing: Brady still thinks you love Philip." She paused for dramatic effect. "Do you?"  
  
Without hesitation that surprised both Belle and herself, Chloe replied soundly. "No, I don't love Philip. Not anymore, not that way. I truly am ready for that part of my life to be over."  
  
"Well do you love Brady?"  
  
"Do I love Brady?" Chloe repeated thoughtfully and an expectant, smiling Belle nodded. "Do I love Brady..." Did Chloe love Brady? It didn't sound like a hard question but it was. Brady was like no one Chloe had ever known. He was wonderful. There was no question about that. The most fun Chloe had was with Brady. They'd gone water skiing only last weekend and had a blast. Tuesday nights were now reserved for bowling with Belle and Shawn. Sometimes Brady would stop by 'The Sweet Bar' to take Chloe out to lunch. Some nights they simply stayed in, made dinner together and just talked until all hours of the night. Chloe was attracted to him: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. She wanted Brady. And there were times, from the look in Brady's eyes alone, that she knew without a doubt that he wanted her just as much. But did Brady [i]love[/i] her? Those reservations single-handedly made Chloe want to fight falling in love with him, fight kicking and screaming until she had no other choice but to admit she did in fact love him. Until then she was not going to admit it, not even to herself. She finally sighed, covering her face in her hands. "Ugh, okay I admit it: I think I'm falling in love Brady." She was such a sap.  
  
A hand flew to Belle's mouth. She was almost speechless for the first time in her life. Almost. "Oh my G-d Chloe. Do you know what you just said? You're falling in love with Brady. My brother and my best friend. That's just so great," Belle cooed.  
  
"It's awful." Chloe ran her hands through her hair and felt her eyes begin to tear up.  
  
"Awful? Chloe, how can you falling in love be awful?"  
  
"Because it's too soon," she murmured. "Because I'm not ready for this." But Belle only stared at her friend, knowing those weren't the real reasons, although they were valid ones. Chloe sighed feeling the first unwanted tears course down her cheeks. "Because it isn't a two way street."  
  
Belle's heart broke for her friend. "Oh, Chloe.how will you know that unless you tell Brady how you feel?"  
  
"What am I supposed to say Belle? 'Hey Brady, I know I've only known you for two months but I think I'm in love with you...I [i]am[/i] in love with you.and I want to be with you. How do you feel about me?'"  
  
"Why not say [i]that[/i]?"  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes. "I'll be the first to admit, I'm definitely a woman of the twenty-first century but I will not put my feelings out there like that.not just yet.not until he gives me some sign, any sign, that he's interested." She sighed. "I think I'm going to go crazy if something doesn't happen between us soon. You have no idea how exhausting it is to be in such close proximity to a hottie like him."  
  
"Ix nay on any details please."  
  
"Oh well then I guess you don't want to hear what happened this morning, then." Chloe took a sip of tea and pretended to organize the sugar packets in the center of the table.  
  
"You tease," Belle smiled, all the while shaking her head.  
  
"So anyway, this morning I go to have a shower. I knew Brady was out on his morning jog before work so...."  
  
FLASHBACK.  
  
Chloe stood in her shower, letting the cascade of water wash off any remaining soap. It had been two days since the super had come and fixed the air conditioner. So things had considerably cooled in the house [b]and[/b] between Brady and Chloe. Chloe's "knee" was feeling much better and Brady was glad for that, though he'd secretly liked carrying her around.  
  
Chloe shut the water off and shivered. She had the distinct feeling that the water heater was going on the fritz. This was supposed to be a nice, hot shower she was taking but instead Chloe found herself shivering in the tub, her teeth chattering as she reached for her towel, which, of course, was not there. Brady must have done laundry last night. It was great of him to do so but he had the habit of leaving all of the towels in the hall closet. "Dammit, Brady, it's like you do this on purpose." Chloe cursed as she made her way out of the tub, determined to make a mad dash for the hall closet before Brady got back from his jog.  
  
Meanwhile, Brady entered the house still high from his morning jog. With his headphones on, blaring the sounds of Gun N' Roses' 'Welcome to the Jungle' in his ears, he whipped off his sweat-soaked shirt and headed straight for the hall closet. Doing a little air guitar type move, he looked for a hand towel to wipe the sweat drenching his torso.  
  
Chloe made her way to the closet and stopped in her tracks, though nude and still dripping wet with water. She watched in slow motion as Brady ran a towel over his body and nodded his head to the beat of the music shattering from his headphones. Chloe knew she should just turn around, turn around and walk back to the bathroom, just ask Brady to bring her a towel. But her feet refused to move.  
  
Sensing someone watching him, Brady suddenly turned around. His eyes widened in complete shock as he quickly pulled the headphones from his ears. "Chloe, what are you doing," he couldn't help but give her a once over.  
  
Suddenly feeling very self-conscious, Chloe attempted to cover herself up with her arms. She was unsuccessful. "Towel. I need a towel."  
  
"Here," he offered her his hand towel, his eyes still wide, his voice cracking slightly.  
  
"Umm.that's a little too small. And you.it's used. You used it to." she pointed to her hair.  
  
Snapping out of whatever trance he was in, Brady nodded and shook his head, suddenly feeling like a thousand marbles entered his mouth. "Right, you're right. So stupid of me," he smiled and blushed slightly as he looked down at the towel in his hands, as if it were the most intriguing thing he'd ever seen. He turned back to the closet and turned back to face her with a larger towel in hand.  
  
Chloe watched as he held the towel out to her and avoided any and all contact with her by staring at some nonexistent mark on the wall. "Thanks," she wrapped the towel around her body and stood looking at him, her feet still refusing to move.  
  
"Well okay then," he walked passed her without another word or glance in her direction.  
  
END OF FLASHBACK  
  
The Brady Pub.  
  
Brady frowned at his cousin. "I mean, can you say awkward? Don't laugh Shawn. It's not funny."  
  
But Shawn couldn't help but laugh. Brady and Chloe had been dancing around each other for so long now. "Brady, Brady, Brady." he shook his head in disbelief. Brady was not shy around women. He'd bedded plenty after breaking it off with Patricia; that much Shawn was sure of. So to see Brady so timid when they broached the subject of one woman in particular, Shawn was quite amused.  
  
"What? I couldn't sit there and gawk at her. I won't embarrass her that way and I won't make a fool of myself. I am not going to freak Chloe out by telling her I have the hots for her. I just won't."  
  
"So it's just physical attraction?" Brady was silent, causing Shawn to probe further. "So it's more than just physical then. Belle was right. You're falling in love with Chloe, your wife."  
  
"No comment."  
  
**************************  
  
"So Brady saw you in the buff, so what?" Belle took a bite of her blueberry muffin.  
  
"So that was incredibly embarrassing, that's what."  
  
"No offense but it's not like he's never seen you naked. It's just this time he's sober enough to remember, that's all." Belle laughed as Chloe groaned.  
  
"He couldn't even look at me. What's that about?"  
  
"Chloe you're overanalyzing this. You are a beautiful woman, absolutely gorgeous. You've got a great body and this awesome hair that I would kill for. Any red blooded American male is going to [i]notice[/i] you to say the least."  
  
Chloe scoffed and sighed in concession. "So then how come Brady doesn't? He's supposed to be this Casanova but so far he hasn't even attempted to make a move on me. I just don't think he's attracted to me that way. Maybe I'm not his type, maybe that's why he won't acknowledge me in that way."  
  
"He's a guy. Trust me Chloe: He's noticed. He's just confused. I'm sure you know how badly Patricia hurt him." Chloe nodded. "Well, it's made him insecure when it comes to saying how he really feels, especially when it comes to love. Believe it or not, the guy is terrified of rejection."  
  
"I don't know how I could make it any clearer that's he's got nothing to be afraid of. I faked an injury for this guy, play the part of the damsel in distress when I can't reach something off of the top of one of the kitchen cabinets and I have him open any and all jars for me just to stroke his ego. He won't even flirt with me anymore."  
  
"You're doing it all wrong." Belle sighed. "First of all, if you want to play mind games, do it right. Men are. for lack of a better word: stupid. You [i]have[/i] to spell it out for them or they don't get it. In other words, it's time to play hard ball, Chloe."  
  
"Belle, what are you talking about?"  
  
"I mean you've got to pull out all the stops, take no prisoners."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Don't hold back. Don't play coy. Go out and get what you want. Seduce my brother. Be forward. Let him know that not only are you not afraid of your feelings but that, in fact, you're very proud of them."  
  
"Seduce him?" Chloe chuckled. "You're crazy." Belle was crazy. Seduce Brady? What? Coax him into making love to her tonight on the couch? Make him admit he wants her and has wanted her for just as long as she has him? "You think it'd work?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh I know it will."  
  
Thinking it over, Chloe nodded her head in agreement. Belle was a good friend. She was Chloe's best friend. So Chloe ignored the meddling voice at the back of her mind telling her to handle this herself, that this wasn't a game, and that Belle's advice, though well meaning, might do more harm than good. 


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15:  
  
Later that day.  
  
Brady wearily rounded his desk and stared blankly out of his window that overlooked the darkened Salem skyline and skies that were crisp shades of orange and red, signs of the ending day. So much had changed since earlier this afternoon. He frowned and tightened his grasp on the rolled up paper in his hands. This paper, this stupid piece of paper had only confirmed what he'd suspected for weeks. "Dammit!" He threw his New York Jets paperweight towards the far corner of the room, easily denting the once perfect, smooth, white walls. He couldn't tell Chloe what he now knew as fact, or she'd want out of this situation so fast his head would spin. Well, he'd have to tell her sometime. He was sure if he didn't let her know what was going on, Philip would find out soon enough and not hesitate to let Chloe know. And if that happened, well he would not only lose Chloe as his wife, but he'd lose her as his best friend too. And he couldn't handle that. He cursed his stupidity. The minute he suspected something he should have told Chloe. But he didn't want their marriage to end, didn't want to even think about it ending. It was too much fun. And now? Now, he was hopelessly in love with her and was determined to keep her near, if not forever than for at least another day. But the time was fast approaching when this situation they'd gotten themselves into would need to be dealt with. "Tomorrow," Brady whispered. "Tomorrow, I have to tell her."  
  
************************  
  
The Sweet Bar.  
  
"So did you call him?" Belle looked at Chloe expectantly.  
  
Clicking of her phone, Chloe slowly pivoted around and frowned at her friend. "Yeah, he sounded kind of tired. I hope he's okay."  
  
"Chloe, my brother is fine." Belle looked her friend over. "You look great."  
  
Chloe looked down at her outfit and the frown marring her face only grew more somber. "I'm wearing my 'Sweet Bar' baby tee and a pair of dirty jeans Belle. Not exactly Calvin Klein."  
  
"Oh please, have you seen my brother's face when he sees you wear this stuff?" She sniffed Chloe's hair that hung loose and untamed down her back. "Your hair smells like chocolate and cognac." She made a face. "Ehh.my brother's so weird, he'll probably think that's sexy." Off Chloe's gloomy expression, "What is that look? Would you cheer up? Tonight, you are going to be having sex with my brother. I don't know why the thought of that excites me. But oddly enough, it does. I'm just so happy for you two."  
  
"Thanks Belle," she tried to give her a small smile. But something in Brady's voice over the phone made Chloe feel like something was wrong. She really hoped everything was okay. Maybe he [i]was[/i] just tired. Maybe tonight she'd be able to make [i]him[/i] feel good. He was always doing that for her: making her feel good, happy, loved, whether he knew it or not.  
  
"So what did you tell him to get him to come here instead of go straight home after work?"  
  
"I told him that I had a large order for a party tomorrow and that I need help with it." It wasn't entirely false. Although, she really didn't need help, Chloe had a cake and other dainty chocolate treats to make for tomorrow morning. Someone was getting married. She sighed sadly. She couldn't even remember getting married. She'd ask for a proper one but Brady'd probably laugh in her face and tell her this "marriage" wasn't going to last long enough to plan another wedding. She almost cried right then and there. She wanted Brady so badly, wanted to tell him how much in love with in she really was. If she couldn't have his heart for all of the right reasons, well then she was going to enjoy this temporary break from reality where she could pretend she had Brady's heart, pretend he wanted hers.  
  
"Now, remember the plan, Chloe. Do whatever you have to do to make him see how much you want him. It doesn't matter if you're aggressive. I've seen how Brady has been around you recently and it isn't going to click for him unless you make it click. Just go for the gold."  
  
"Would you stop talking in all these riddles and clichés?" Chloe smiled down at her petite friend.  
  
"Ha. Ha," Belle replied sarcastically. "Just don't back down until you're lying in a naked heap on the floor." She grew serious. "Remember, Brady isn't used to this, isn't used to falling in love, being in love."  
  
"Neither am I," Chloe muttered.  
  
Belle chuckled lightly. "Well then, you'll just have to help each other through it." She pulled her into a hug, but a light knock on the shop's glass door interrupted them. "It's Brady. Good luck."  
  
"Thanks," Chloe smiled at her friend and watched as she opened the door letting her brother in.  
  
"Hey big bro." Belle gave him a quick hug.  
  
"Hey Tink, how you doing?"  
  
"Good, I gotta run."  
  
"So soon?" Brady's brow furrowed. He did [b]not[/b] want to left alone with Chloe, not just yet. He didn't think he could face her. He'd wanted to just go home and crawl into bed, feigning a headache like Chloe had done with him so many times when trying to avoid an unavoidable situation. But Chloe had called him at work, asking that he help her out, as she had to work late. So of course, he'd agreed. He would never turn her down. Plus, she might finish really late and he didn't want her walking to her car in the dead of night.  
  
"Yeah, I have things I have to do and I'm sure you have. things to do here," she smiled knowingly at Chloe. "Bye kids," she left promptly, before Brady could object.  
  
Brady turned to Chloe after locking the door behind him, and gave her a puzzled look. "Where's she running off to in such a hurry?"  
  
"Sex with Shawn."  
  
"Whoa, okay. Too much information."  
  
Chloe laughed and leaned against the display case, trying to look as nonchalant, therefore as sexy as possible. "So would you like to get started?"  
  
Brady opened his mouth to speak but suddenly couldn't form a coherent thought. And those imaginary marbles that loved to enter his mouth, suddenly decided to enter his mouth. Oh she was just so hot in her little work shirt and those sexy jeans. But she also looked different tonight. There was something different in her eyes, something he couldn't quite place. Hell, maybe it was just his imagination. But tonight, there was a combination of something almost feral, uninhibited, mischievous. He managed a crooked smile. "Uh huh." 'Oh so eloquent, Brady,' he thought irritably to himself.  
  
"Okay, come on then," she walked to the back of the shop, gently swaying her hips like Belle had suggested. 'Oh the power of the swinging hips,' Belle had said. Chloe almost burst out laughing but stopped herself. She could feel Brady close behind, following her to the back of the shop. She didn't want to scare him off by suddenly laughing for no apparent reason. "Okay then," she stopped at the back kitchen counter and gave Brady a shy smile. "I have a job for you."  
  
"You do?" He unconsciously licked his lips.  
  
"I have all this melted chocolate here for the chocolate tarts." She pointed to four big bowls of melted chocolate of varying shades.  
  
"I don't know how to make chocolate tarts," he frowned and grabbed to pull at his tie, which of course was not there, for it had been discarded for the day hours prior.  
  
"I know that Brady," Chloe chuckled. He was nervous. This might be easier than she thought. "See these mini piecrusts?" She pointed to tiny piecrusts sitting idly on wax paper.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, fill them halfway with chocolate. I need fifty milk chocolate ones and fifty dark chocolate ones, twenty semi sweet ones and fifteen bittersweet ones."  
  
"How can I tell which chocolate is which?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Chloe cocked an eyebrow at him.  
  
"I mean they all look the same. For example, how can I tell which is semisweet and which is bittersweet?"  
  
"Well, aside from color, you can taste them."  
  
"Is there really a difference between semisweet and bittersweet?" He grinned.  
  
"Ugh, of course there is Brady. I'll show you." She dunked her finger ungracefully in a bowl of chocolate. "Close your eyes."  
  
"What are you going to do," he looked at her finger, eyes wide.  
  
"Just close your eyes." He did so reluctantly. "Now, open your mouth." He obliged and Chloe sucked in a breath. She hasn't expected this to be part of the seduction. She had genuinely wanted Brady to taste the difference between semisweet and bittersweet chocolate. They were two very different things. But now it seemed that something that had started off innocently enough, had become very sexy. Slowly she brought her finger to his open mouth and nearly fainted when she touched it to his lips. "Taste that," her voice was already husky with desire.  
  
Unhurriedly, Brady ran his tongue lightly over Chloe chocolate covered fingertip before taking it in his mouth and suckling it lightly. He slowly opened his eyes, catching Chloe's heated gaze and grasped Chloe's wrist bringing it down. "That's good."  
  
Swallowing audibly, definitely reading the pure lust in Brady's eyes correctly, she lost her nerve. Concentrating on the task at hand, she dunked her finger into the second bowl of chocolate. Bringing her finger up to his lips, she whispered over the humming of the desktop fan in the far corner of the room. "What you had before was bittersweet. This is semisweet. It's a little sweeter." She touched her finger to his lips again, this time Brady's eyes were open and piercing hers intently as he gently sucked the chocolate off of her suddenly trembling finger.  
  
"Definitely sweeter, but just as good." He gave her a small wink and watched as she unconsciously sucked off the remaining chocolate on her finger.  
  
"So you could taste the difference," she wasn't even aware of what she was saying any longer, just knowing that she was nervously rambling. "A lot of people can't taste the difference. You have to have a good tongue for it. You've got a good tongue."  
  
"So do you," he grasped her chin in his hand and tilted her head up so that she was now looking at him with these wide eyes, looking so afraid, but so very ready for what was happening between them. Slowly, he lowered his head to hers and gently brushed his firm lips against her trembling ones. He groaned when he felt Chloe start to take control and gently take his lower lip into her warm mouth, sucking off any traces of chocolate left behind. Her kiss was so gentle, so sweet, Brady found himself melting into her. Before he knew what was happening, he'd lifted her onto the countertop, knocking the bowls of melted chocolate every which way. Hearing the mini piecrusts crunch under Chloe's rear, they both chuckled as they began exploring each other's mouths with their tongues. Without wavering his fiery gaze from her dazed one, he scooped up a glob of chocolate and ran it slowly it down a panting Chloe's neck, stopping on the rapid beat of the pulse in her neck. "So fast," he murmured, referring to the rapid thumping of her pulse. He had gotten that reaction out of her. It had given him courage, hope. She wanted him...really wanted him. He was sure of it.  
  
Chloe moaned Brady's name over and over, murmuring incoherently as he leaned into her neck and licked off the trail of chocolate his finger had created only moments before. Tightening her arms around his neck, she buried her fingers in his hair, ruffling it, loving the soft feel of it under her needy hands.  
  
Brady was in heaven, pure heaven. After lifting her shirt over her head, he found Chloe's all too soft mouth again and placed drugging, pliant kisses against with her wet, supple lips. All he'd wanted was for Chloe to really want him, need him, desire him. He'd fantasized about this moment and it was better than he ever dreamed. But out of some awful hell, the doubts began to creep in, as did the guilt of what he was keeping from her. As much as he wanted and needed Chloe, as much as he wanted to pretend and fantasize that this was what she really wanted and needed, he had to stop this. He was taking advantage of her. Reluctantly, he tore his lips away from hers and forcefully unwrapped Chloe's arms from around his neck. Both were breathing heavily. Chloe on the kitchen counter and Brady standing in front of her, both tried to catch their breaths enough to get a word out. Chloe caught her breath first.  
  
"Brady.I don't.understand," she breathed out.  
  
"I'm sorry Chloe. but we can't do that." He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because." He wanted to say 'because he loved her so much and wanted to be with her and wanted them to make love properly, not in some back kitchen.' "Because I don't want you to regret it."  
  
"But I won't. I want you. I want you, Brady." There she said it. It was out there. She wanted him. She wouldn't reject him.  
  
Shaking his head slightly, he looked at her wide eyes and sighed. She was confused. So yeah maybe she wanted him now, so what? She'd regret having sex with him later. She wanted Philip. She reminded him plenty of times the last few weeks that Philip was so sweet, that Philip had changed. It made him angry. To hell with Philip! Brady wanted to hurt her, hurt her for taking his heart right out from under his unsuspecting nose and breaking it, every time she spoke of Philip and swooned over one of Philip's lame ass gifts. He wanted out of this charade, out before she took his soul too. Although, he suspected she owned that as well. "Yeah, well I don't want you.not in that way. And if we went through with this, I might regret it." He couldn't look at her, couldn't look as she gasped and slowly pulled on her shirt.  
  
"Get out." Tears coursed down her flushed cheeks.  
  
He ran a hand through his hair. "Chloe, I ." he started, ashamed of what he'd said, knowing it wasn't true. He wanted to make love to her but was afraid it would be just sex to her. He'd slept with plenty of women in New York and while it was just sex to him, it may have meant something more to them. Now the shoe was on the other foot and he couldn't handle it.  
  
"Get out! I hate you!" She roughly wiped her cheeks and pushed him away. "I hate you so much!" She beat her fists against his chest, growing exhausted quickly, feeling Brady's arms wrap lovingly around her. She cried into his chest and clung to him. "I never should have gone along with this. I love Philip," she lied, feeling Brady's arms drop from around her body. "I love him and I hurt him by being with you. It was a mistake," she choked out and pushed him away. "This was all a mistake, a disgusting, humiliating mistake!"  
  
Brady's jaw clenched. He was so angry, he felt his eyes grow moist and his body begin to tremble. "You are so pathetic, crying over Philip like a lovesick puppy, letting him take advantage of you. You love Philip huh? Where the hell was Philip all those nights you cried on [i]my[/i] shoulder because you couldn't sleep, couldn't handle him betraying you and breaking your heart so easily. [i]I[/i] was the one that picked up the pieces! [i]I[/i] was the one that told you everything would be okay! [i]I[/i] was the one that lov.the one that lifted you up out of the hurt and pain and you just rub it in my face. You are nothing but a thankless Diva. To hell with you," he stormed out of the shop.  
  
Chloe sobbed and sunk down to her knees, onto the floor, in the middle of the kitchen. "I wish I'd never met you Brady Black. I wish you'd have stayed in New York." Her sobs continued to wrack her body until she was so tired she fell asleep. 


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:  
  
The Morning After.  
  
Chloe rubbed her aching muscles as she lifted her tired body off of the floor. She must have fallen asleep after crying over what happened last night. Last night. She was so hurt, so angry, so mortified. And now? Now she was just exhausted.  
  
"Chloe?"  
  
She turned quickly at the sound of her name. "Susan!" A hand flew to her chest. "You scared the crap out of me."  
  
"I'm sorry," Susan approached her boss cautiously, noticing the complete mess the kitchen was in, chocolate splattered about and crumbs spilled haphazardly all over the counters. "What are you doing here Chloe? Did you-Did you sleep on the floor?"  
  
She ran her hands through her hair and walked to the front of the shop, Susan following closely behind. "It's a long.long story," she sighed.  
  
"Yeah well, I'm not sure if I was seeing right but I could have sworn that Brady was sleeping on the ground, just outside of the shop."  
  
"Brady?"  
  
"Yes. Brady. Your husband? His head was kind of resting back on the wall, like he was sitting and kind of just nodded off."  
  
"What was he doing there?"  
  
A sudden tap at the door caught their attention. Susan smiled. "Why don't you ask him yourself?" She strode over to the entrance and let Brady in. "Hey Brady."  
  
"Hey Suz." Wearing the same clothes from last night, though now rumpled, he gave Susan a warm smile and turned to face Chloe. "Chloe.Hi."  
  
"Hi." Without thinking, she wiped her face with shaking hands, trying to not look as bad as she felt. But it was no use. Brady would be able to tell she'd been crying, that she'd slept here all night.  
  
"Susan, could you please excuse us?" He raised his eyebrows in question.  
  
"Sure Brady." Sensing the tension in the room, she left Brady and Chloe alone.  
  
Squaring her shoulders defiantly, Chloe hoped to somehow get the strength to face him. "What do you want?" Her voice was, for the most part, firm but shook ever so slightly. She was so hurt. Brady's rejection had hurt her more than Philip sleeping with twenty women ever could. There was almost something shameful about that and that only fueled Chloe's anger more.  
  
Brady took a few steps toward her but stopped himself until a few feet remained between them, almost as if the emotional distance between them was somehow palpable. Chloe looked too uncomfortable with his presence. And he was certain if he got any closer to her, he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off of her. He wanted to make it all better, make her hurt go away. "You know when I. I left here last night." He was silent for a long while. "I got halfway home and then I came back. I realized I hadn't locked the door when I stormed out of here so I came back. I heard you crying in the back. I didn't know what to say." He trailed off. "So I locked the door and I left again. I got about three feet down the street when I realized how much I wanted to see you, tell you.but the door was locked and couldn't even work up the nerve to knock."  
  
"Why are you telling me this, Brady?"  
  
"I don't know," he sighed and looked at her. Standing in front of him, looking like she'd been crying all night and looking so miserable, all he'd wanted to do was hold her and tell her he loved her. Now was the time. "Chloe, I---"  
  
"Well let me tell you something that I know Brady. I know that I don't want to be married to you any longer. I know that I want this charade to be over. I know that I don't want to be your wife. I know that I don't want your friendship or your pity. And I know that I don't want to have to kiss you or touch you or see you ever again."  
  
He swallowed audibly. He felt as if he'd been punched in the gut. Here he was about to spill his guts out to her, tell her how much in love with her he was, damn all the consequences. But she'd made it clear. She'd just made it abundantly clear that she wanted nothing to do with him. Just as he suspected, she wanted Philip. She loved Philip. 'She'll never love you, Brady,' he thought dejectedly to himself. "Well seeing as how I live in Salem and my sister is your best friend, I'm pretty sure you won't be able to avoid [i]seeing[/i] me," he said coolly. "But as far as touching goes.and kissing me.well, you won't have to worry about that."  
  
"I'll have the divorce papers drawn up this afternoon."  
  
"Don't bother," Brady spat out. "We're not married Chloe. We never were."  
  
"What? What do you mean? What are you talking about?"  
  
"That Judge? Judge Broe (hehe ;)) that married us?" She nodded and he continued. "Well, he was a quack, Chloe. He's nuts. If we were sober enough we'd probably have been able to figure that out but we weren't. So we paid him a colossal amount of money to marry us. He's a con man Chloe."  
  
"But. but." she was at a loss for words.  
  
"He was a judge in the past but he had that title taken away from him six years ago because he dabbled in extortion and grand theft. I [i]knew[/i] something was a little off. I'd suspected it weeks ago so I had a private investigator check it out for me and sure enough."  
  
"You suspected this? For weeks?"  
  
Brady nodded, slightly ashamed. "Yes."  
  
"Well, why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you say anything before now?"  
  
"Because I-"  
  
"Oh, lemme guess. Because it was business to you. Because you only care about and only look out for yourself, right? You never cared about me: Friend. or otherwise. Basic Black was just doing so good and that all that's ever mattered to you."  
  
"Is that what you really think?" His eyes were cold and icy. But somewhere inside, lurking about was hurt and sadness and desperation.  
  
Chloe couldn't keep his stare. He looked so aloof. But did she detect a slight aching in his eyes, in his voice? "It doesn't matter what I think. Just get out. Get out and get your stuff and get out of my apartment and leave me the hell alone. I never want to see your face again. By the time that I get home from work today, I want you out of my apartment and out of my life." She turned her back to him, on the verge of very real, very exhausting tears.  
  
Brady sighed, feeling the lowest of the low he could ever remember feeling. He'd ruined the best thing that had ever happened to him. He should have told Chloe what he'd suspected weeks ago because at least then he would have still have her friendship. "I'm sorry," he said quietly and walked out of the shop and out of Chloe's life.  
  
"Dammit." Chloe burst out sobbing and sinking to the floor once again.  
  
********************  
  
Brady spent the day doing as Chloe asked: packing up his things and moving out. It had been so hard. And he wasn't a crier. He had never been a crier. But this thing with Chloe, this.well whatever it was.was over and for the first time in his life, he wanted to cry. He didn't want to get drunk and forget like he usually did. He didn't want to punch anything or anyone. He just wanted to cry. He was just so lost and he didn't know where to turn. So nearly twelve hours later of just driving around and always ready to cry but never being able to, he found himself on John and Marlena's doorstep. They had returned from their vacation only two days ago but John was still taking some time off.  
  
"Son?" John opened the door, to a haggard looking Brady complete with a five o' clock shadow and the still rumpled clothes. Brady had called in sick this morning and sounded okay at the time. Now John was concerned.  
  
"Dad." he hugged his father, feeling the first tears course down his cheeks. "I'm so tired. I'm so tired, dad." He sobbed into his father's chest, hanging on for dear life. "I'm so tired."  
  
"Come here son," he pulled Brady inside and sat him on the couch. "Come here. You drunk?" he arched an eyebrow at his son.  
  
Brady gave his father a miserable chuckle. "I wish."  
  
"Is this about Chloe?"  
  
"I love her," Brady said simply. "I love her and she doesn't feel the same way and it hurts. It hurts so badly," he bit out quickly. The tears continued to make their way down his now flushed cheeks.  
  
"But.but she married you, Brady. You two care about each other. You love each other.don't you?" John was beyond confused. "Maybe I should call Chloe?" He reached for the phone.  
  
"No!.No don't do that. Please, dad." Brady sniffled and roughly wiped his face. "I am such a f&cking wuss!"  
  
"Son." John started cautiously.  
  
"No Dad. It's okay. I'm fine. Just give me a minute. Give me a f&cking minute to pull myself together." He blew out a calming breath and, nearly in one breath, explained the whole, sordid past two months to his father: everything from him and Chloe sleeping together and ending up married to the deal made between them to last night's kiss and then fight and falling out this morning.  
  
"Jesus son, I don't know what to say."  
  
"Just tell me I'll get over this."  
  
"Well, sorry son but I can't tell you that. Love does strange things to people."  
  
"Dad, what the hell does that have to do with anything?"  
  
"Well you love Chloe and she loves you-"  
  
"No Dad, no. You're not getting this. She doesn't love me. She doesn't even [i]like[/i] me anymore."  
  
"I have a hard time believing that Brady. I mean, you're my son and I love you but you're not the easiest person to live with. It takes a special person to deal with you."  
  
"Gee, thanks dad. I feel [i]so[/i] much better," he replied sarcastically, his face contorting in annoyance.  
  
"Now, don't you go off and take it the wrong way son. I'm just telling you what I know."  
  
"And what is that, oh wise one?"  
  
"Knock it off kid."  
  
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm just."  
  
"Deep in the clutches of the hungry abyss that is love?" He raised his trademark eyebrow at Brady.  
  
"What?" Brady chuckled at his father.  
  
"I thought that might cheer you up." He gave Brady's back a good-natured slap. "Let me tell you something Brady: Chloe loves you. She is in love with you." Brady shook his head 'no' but John continued. "Yes, son, she loves you. From what you've told me this evening, this may have started out for all the wrong reasons. But it wouldn't have lasted so long if you didn't grow to care for one another. But you seem to think she's still hung up on Philip."  
  
"Oh I know she is."  
  
"How? Did you ever think that maybe, just maybe, her suddenly wanting Philip was simply a ploy to make you jealous?"  
  
Brady scoffed. "Chloe's not the type to play games. She always says what's on her mind. She's the most honest person I know. She wouldn't do that. That's one of the things I love about her."  
  
"Like I said before son: 'Love makes you do strange things.' I mean look at you." He gestured to Brady's unkempt appearance.  
  
"Shut up," Brady chuckled.  
  
"I want you to stay here until you find a place. Okay?"  
  
"Dad, it's not necessary---" he shook his head.  
  
"Yes it is Brady. Don't argue. Now get upstairs and take a shower. You reek."  
  
"What am I ten years old again?" Brady laughed as he rose from the couch and began climbing the penthouse stairs.  
  
"You'll be fine, Brady. Everything will work out."  
  
Brady only grunted in reply. He had a lot to think about. As he neared the top of the stairs, he turned to look back down at his father who was pouring himself a glass of water. "Thanks, Dad." His father had just given him something he hadn't had in long while: hope.  
  
"Anytime." **********************  
  
Chloe opened the door of her home and sighed. She laid her keys on the kitchen table and headed straight for the bathroom. All she wanted was a nice hot shower and to just curl in bed with a good book. She'd gone through the day, looking and feeling like a zombie, neither living nor dead. Chloe laughed at the thought. Maybe she'd watch a good scary movie tonight instead. Ehh. after the day she'd had, a comedy was probably a better choice. So two hours, a hot shower and twelve chocolate chip cookies later, Chloe sat in her bed crying her eyes out as she watched 'Tootsie.' It was supposed to be funny, one of the great comedies of the twentieth century. But Chloe couldn't help herself. It was one of Brady's favorite movies. And somewhere deep down, she wasn't ready to let him go just yet. 


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:  
  
The Next Morning.  
  
Chloe groaned, and pulled her covers over her face, as warm rays of the sun beat harshly against her swollen face. At least night she'd been able to have a good cry. But now she was just so tired. Well, it was Saturday morning, no rush to get up. If it weren't for her phone ringing then she'd have happily gone back to sleep and pretend the last two months were a horrible nightmare. "Hello," she slurred into the phone.  
  
"Hi. Chloe?"  
  
Chloe's eyes snapped open. "Brady? Why are you calling?"  
  
"I just had to tell you Chloe. I've been trying to get this out for so long."  
  
"Get what out? What is it?" She felt her heart rate speed up and her stomach flutter.  
  
"I love you, Chloe. I'm in love with you."  
  
She felt herself tear up a bit. "Say it again, Brady. Please?"  
  
Brady chuckled. "I Riiiiiinnnnnngggg. Riiiiiinnnnnnggggg."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
The sound of Chloe's phone ripped her out of her sleep. "Dammit," she muttered. "Dammit. It was a dream." She blew out a calming breath as the phone continued to ring. "It just felt so real," she murmured as she reached for her ringing phone. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey Chloe, you okay?" Belle's soft voice on the other end of the phone line was warm and sympathetic.  
  
"Belle, I'm fine," she dragged herself out of bed and walked to the bathroom to wash her face. "How did you know?"  
  
"How did I know what happened?"  
  
"Yeah," she lathered up a washcloth and gently began scrubbing away at the dark smudges of mascara caked on her cheeks.  
  
"Brady called me. Told me it was over. He just said that you two were never really married. He explained about the judge and everything but."  
  
"Is that all he said?" Chloe held her breath. She didn't know why but some place in her heart hoped he'd said more, like admitted his undying love for her to his sister. As if.  
  
"Pretty much, Chloe. What happened between you two? He won't talk to me. You haven't called me."  
  
"It's true. We aren't married, never were. The certificate is not valid."  
  
"Yeah, he explained all that but whether you guys were married or not, I thought that you two were getting closer."  
  
"Yeah well, I thought so too. But he rejected me-"  
  
"You're kidding."  
  
"I kid not, Belle." She squeezed a glob of toothpaste on her electric toothbrush. "He doesn't want me Belle. And I'm not going to fawn and swoon over some guy who's just not worth it. No offense since he's your brother and everything."  
  
"None taken but Chloe.this just doesn't add up. Shawn said-"  
  
"Look I don't care what Shawn said and thinks or what you say or think. I don't want to discuss Brady with you. I don't want to hear about him." She had to blow out a calming breath, as she felt her anger rising and the tears begin to sting her eyes. "Or talk about him, or think about him, okay?"  
  
"Okay." Belle could tell Chloe was on the verge on tears.  
  
"I'm sorry," Chloe wiped her face as tears began to course down her cheeks. Dammit, why couldn't she stop crying? She was certain Brady hadn't shed a tear over this, so 'Toughen up, Chloe,' she told herself.  
  
"No, honey, it's okay. From now on we don't mention my brother at all. What do you say we go to lunch, hmm? That might cheer you up. We could go shopping, maybe hit the spa."  
  
"No thanks. I'm not really in the mood. I think I'll just stay in today. and tonight." She added "tonight" too in case Belle got any ideas.  
  
"Okay," Belle sighed sadly, twirling the phone cord around her fingers.  
  
"Bye Belle."  
  
"Bye Chlo," Belle hung up the phone and stared at it. She wanted to throw it out of her bedroom window, Brady and Chloe were [i]that[/i] frustrating. First, Brady had called her early this morning, wanting to explain what had happened and give her the news that he was taking a little vacation. Belle could understand that her brother might need a break. I mean he'd come straight here from the very busy New York branch of Basic Black and completely taken over the Salem offices with relative ease. That was a feat within itself. Furthermore, he'd also landed several accounts pretty easily that even his father might have had a hard time winning. But this was NOT why Brady was leaving. He was running away. Belle knew he was running away, because he was hurt. She didn't know how though, because he wouldn't explain. And hell, now Chloe didn't even want his name mentioned around her. Belle groaned. She knew, knew for a fact, that her best friend and her brother were in love.  
  
"Don't," Shawn stared at his wife and gave her a wink, as he leaned against the doorjamb of their bedroom.  
  
"Don't what?" She gave him a quizzical look.  
  
"Don't interfere. You've done enough interfering in Brady and Chloe's lives in the past. Let them work this out themselves."  
  
"I don't know if they can Shawn," she walked over to him and laid her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist.  
  
"Look, Brady's going away for a few weeks, right?" He kissed the top of her head.  
  
"Right."  
  
"Well I bet you.twenty bucks that he comes back early or Chloe goes after him. They'll miss each other too much Belle."  
  
"I hope you're right, Shawn."  
  
*************************  
  
Brady heard the knock on his old bedroom door at his parent's penthouse and knew it was time. "This is for the best," he sighed before welcoming John and Marlena.  
  
"You ready to go, kid?" John raised an eyebrow at his son.  
  
"Yep," he held up his suitcase and they descended the penthouse steps.  
  
"Are you sure about this Brady?" Marlena cocked her head to the side, giving him a look of quiet concern. "Running away is not the best-"  
  
"I'm not running away," he smiled to soften the coarseness of his tone. He didn't want to take his anger out on anybody, especially his family. "I'm just going back to New York for a couple of weeks. I just need to clear my head. I'll be back before you know it. Just in time for Shawn and Belle's anniversary party."  
  
John followed them out of the door and to the elevators. "You sure you don't want to take the jet?"  
  
"I'm sure dad," Brady chuckled. "The drive will be good for me. It'll force me not to get shamelessly drunk and play Russian roulette with my semiautomatic."  
  
"Where did you get a semiautomatic weapon?"  
  
"Dad! No, I'm kidding. Relax." Brady laughed. "I'll be fine. And I'll be back before you know it." They hugged and said their goodbyes as the elevator doors closed. Brady frowned as he walked over to his waiting rental car and packed his suitcase inside the trunk. He hoped these few weeks away from Salem would put that happy go lucky bachelor spring back in his step, and help him forget about Chloe. He certainly hoped that whole thing about absence making the heart grow fonder was false. Flipping on the radio and vowing to put one Chloe Lane Wesley out of his mind, he drove off in the direction from whence he came a little over two months ago.  
  
***********************  
  
One week later. The Java Café.  
  
Resting her head against the palm of her hand, Chloe sat, swirling her iced tea with her straw. She'd had an awful week. First she'd heard through the infamous Salem grapevine that Brady hightailed it out of town for a few weeks, leaving her the shoulder the brunt of curious questions from nosy Salemites, who were shocked to learn Brady and Chloe had anything less than a happy marriage. Brady. She couldn't stop thinking about him. Everything reminded her of him. And she must have watched 'Tootsie' twenty times this past week alone. Who was she kidding? She missed him. And when Brady got back from New York, if he only wanted friendship from her, she'd gladly give that to him, she missed him that much. She wasn't angry any longer. She was just sad. She missed her friend. Because that's what Brady was and had been: a friend, and a great one at that. She realized she had been so angry that last morning she spoke to him that she hadn't given him a chance to explain. So what if she was in love with him and he didn't feel the same way. Why was that his fault? He'd stopped them from making love to each other because he knew it would be wrong. She'd have expected something more from him and he wouldn't have been able to give her that. She should be thanking him. But, God did it still hurt.  
  
"Chloe," Philip sat across from her table. "You wanted to meet me?" He gave her an expectant grin, hoping that she was here to say that she finally wanted to be with him again.  
  
"Yes," she took his hand in her own. "I wanted to tell you that I forgive you."  
  
"Oh Chloe," he picked up her hand and kissed it softly. "Thank you, thank you."  
  
She nodded and gave him a small smile, pulling her hand from his grasp. "I just don't want you to get the wrong idea."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, we aren't together, Philip. Do you understand that I do forgive you, but that that is it? I don't want to be involved with you any longer. I just want to make it clear now, if I haven't made it clear enough in the past. So no more sending me any gifts, no more calling me at all hours of the night, no more thinking that somehow we're ever going to be together." She said her words with deliberate slowness, hoping to get through to him once and for all.  
  
"Does this have anything to do with Brady?"  
  
"I can say with absolute certainty that it doesn't. I'm doing this because I don't love you Philip, not in the way a woman loves a man. And I don't want to lead you on or give you any false hope."  
  
"Okay. Okay I know. I screwed up."  
  
"Philip," she smiled warmly at him. "We weren't right for each other. I know that now."  
  
"Because of Brady." he added, knowingly.  
  
"Because of Brady." She gave him a sheepish smile.  
  
"You love him." He couldn't help but frown, feeling as if he'd lost first prize to his undeserving nephew.  
  
"I don't think that's any of your business." She wasn't going to deny it, but she sure as hell wasn't going to announce it to the world, especially to her ex-fiancé.  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Okay?" She questioned him, wondering if he truly understood her.  
  
"Okay." He stood to leave. "Look, I'm not wishing you guys luck or anything, because there is no way I like the idea of my ex-fiancée and my nephew together-"  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Philip-"  
  
"I'm just saying, Chloe, be careful with him. He may end up hurting you."  
  
"Like you?"  
  
He grimaced, realizing she was right. "Like me."  
  
"Good bye Philip."  
  
**************************  
  
New York.  
  
While the setting sun settled behind some feathery clouds in the horizon, Brady looked out over the ocean as the Staten Island ferry headed back to the city. Gripping the rail with steady hands, he closed his eyes and breathed in the salty air, letting flecks of water spray against and tickle his nose. 'Chloe would love this,' he thought. Chloe. He'd thought about her a lot lately. Hell, he hadn't stopped thinking about her. Even the noise and distractions of New York City hadn't helped. All the noise in the world couldn't keep Chloe from invading his thoughts. As he stared out upon the intense, swirling blue water, he couldn't help but think of that song: 'She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly, off the coast and I'm headed nowhere.' That was him. "Chloe's my brick," he murmured to himself. He almost laughed at how pathetic he sounded. Oh well, who was he kidding? He was never going to stop thinking about her. Dammit, he was going back to Salem tonight. So he was a week early, so what? He had to see her. Even if she slammed her door in his face, just to know she still existed would satisfy him. Because here, among all these people, amongst all this noise, he had never felt so alone in his entire life. 


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18:  
  
Monday morning. Back to the daily grind. Chloe entered the Basic Black elevators with slightly shaking legs. She hadn't been here for a while. John, back to work part-time but full time while Brady was away, had called her this morning, requesting an order of peanut butter chunk brownies. Brady's favorite. As Chloe shifted the medium sized pink pastry box in her arms, she adjusted her knee length sleeveless, denim dress and thought of Brady and that morning in his office.  
  
FLASHBACK..  
  
[i]"Peanut butter chuck brownies, Chloe. My favorite." He looked up at her in surprise. "How did you know?"  
  
"I asked Belle this morning." She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.  
  
"You've spoken to Belle?" He dug into the brownies stuffing a whole one into his mouth.  
  
"Yes. I felt bad about what happened between us last night."  
  
"You talked to Belle about our fight?" His mouth was full.  
  
Chloe looked at his chewing mouth disgustedly. "Well, I didn't give her the details but yes, I told her that we did have a fight and that I felt kind of bad about it. So she suggested that I make you something and so I did."  
  
He swallowed and licked his lips, nearly speechless. "So I guess this was her idea too then huh?" He held up the Styrofoam cup of chocolate milk and bottle of ibuprofen.  
  
"No, actually that was my idea."  
  
"What makes you think I like chocolate milk?"  
  
"Look, if you don't appre-"  
  
"Chloe.Chloe I was kidding." He smiled and gently took her hand in his. "Thank you. Thank you for doing all of this."  
  
"You're welcome." She averted her eyes from his intent stare.  
  
"How's your hand?" he continued to stare at her as she tried to look at anything but him.  
  
"It still hurts but it's better than yesterday."  
  
"And your heart?"[/i]  
  
END OF FLASHBACK.  
  
Oh boy, did she miss him. "Pull yourself together Chloe. It's barely been a week," she murmured to herself. And knowing Brady wasn't due back for at least another week, Chloe agreed to pay John a visit and deliver the brownies herself. She hadn't really spent much time with the Blacks since she and Brady split. She hadn't wanted to make anyone uncomfortable. But she knew she couldn't stay away forever. She was close to them before she really even knew Brady, so she saw no reason she couldn't be close to them now.  
  
*********************  
  
Brady leaned back in his chair at his desk and tapped his pen absently on his gray pants. He'd returned home late last night and insisted that he cut his vacation short and go immediately back to work. John had protested, insisting he could handle Basic Black himself and that Brady needed more time. But, always the stubborn one, Brady declined, saying he just wanted to get back to work. But now he sat here, not knowing what to do with himself. He guessed he could leave a little early today and just come in a little earlier tomorrow. There wasn't much to do today anyway. Maybe he would pay Chloe a little visit. After all, that is why he'd come home so prematurely. But he had already lost his nerve, not knowing what on earth he would say to her, sure he wouldn't be able to handle any harsh words from her lips directed at him. 'Aha,' he thought, having a sort of epiphany. 'I'll go apartment shopping.' His father would understand. I mean he couldn't live with his parents forever. John and Marlena were now used to their privacy and him shacking up with them, even if it was short- term, probably put a crimp in their style, not to mention a definite wrinkle in their sex life. He grimaced. To think: His father and Marlena had a better sex life than he did. That was it. No more thinking about what he didn't have. No more feeling sorry for himself. He stood from his desk, throwing on his discarded jacket and tie, before exiting his office.  
  
"Brady," John sped up a bit to catch up to his son, retreating to the elevators.  
  
"Hey, dad," Brady waited for his father to catch up with him before he made his way over to the elevators.  
  
"Where are you going?" John said, almost panicked. He knew Chloe was on her way with the brownies and he needed Brady to be here when she arrived. Belle had put him up to this early this morning and he couldn't help but agree to this. Anything to bring his son and Chloe back together. He'd called Chloe specifically requesting that she deliver them. And now Brady was leaving?  
  
"I was just going to take off for the day. You don't mind do you?" Brady pressed the elevator button. "Did you need anything?"  
  
"Uh, yes," John lied. "Um.the 'Pinchapenny' report from Dave downstairs, twentieth floor. I would go down there myself, but I have a delivery coming in that I wanted to be here for. So can you bring that up for me?"  
  
"Uh, sure dad," Brady nodded slowly, wondering why Dave couldn't bring the damn report up himself. "I'll bring that up for you and then I'm just going to leave for the day, okay?"  
  
"Hey, yeah, sure. Do whatever you have to do," John patted him on the back and practically skipped back to his office.  
  
"Okay," Brady chuckled. Something was definitely going on with his father. He pressed the elevator button again. "Damn elevators," he sighed. "I'll just take the stairs. It's faster." He jogged to the stairwell just as the elevator doors opened.  
  
Chloe stepped out of the elevator and looked around before making a beeline for John's office. "Morning Jamie."  
  
"Good morning Chloe. Go right in. Mr. Black is expecting you." The receptionist gave Chloe a wink.  
  
"Thanks," she gave Jamie a warm smile, wondering what the hell that wink was about, before entering John's office. "John."  
  
"Chloe, hey!" He practically jerked her to a chair. "How you doing?"  
  
"Good," she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "How are you?"  
  
"Never been better."  
  
"I trust your vacation went well?"  
  
"Oh, it was fabulous," he grinned. They chatted on for a good fifteen minutes before John began squirming in seat. Where the hell was Brady?  
  
**********************  
  
Out of breath, Brady entered the Basic Black elevators, practically full of employees, on his way back up to his and John's floor. Subtly, he tried to catch his breath until they all exited out on their respective floors. And then he was practically doubled over in pain. Damn, he must be getting old. That jog down from the fortieth floor to the twentieth took a toll on him. He was breathing all heavy and he'd continually had to wipe the sweat that accumulated on his brow. And when he'd finally gotten down there, he couldn't even find Dave. And when he finally did, Dave told him the 'Pinchapenny' report had been on John's desk since last week. Brady was so angry; he almost decided to leave right then and there. But the desire to give John a piece of his mind, had him on the elevators, making his way back up to his office.  
  
************************  
  
"Look, John," Chloe rose from her chair. "I really, [i]really[/i] have to go."  
  
"Can't you stay a little longer?"  
  
"Actually, no I can't. Susan's probably running around like a chicken with her head cut off by now. Bye John. See you soon." She chuckled and made her way over to the door, exiting before John could protest. 'What the hell was that,' Chloe thought to herself, shaking her head in disbelief. She pressed the elevator button, and waited patiently.  
  
Ding.  
  
The elevators doors slid open and Chloe bumped right into a man, coming off of the elevator as she was going in. "I'm sorry. I wasn't even looking up." She looked up and him and gasped.  
  
"I'm sorry too, I--- Chloe."  
  
"Brady," she replied breathlessly. The elevator doors closed, leaving them both inside. She turned away from him, concentrating all her efforts on pressing the button for the first floor. He was here. He was here! He was here with her and they were alone.  
  
"How. How are you?" He tried to give her a small smile, but couldn't manage it, his concern for her overriding his manners. She looked so beautiful, her long dark hair falling loosely down her back, her face practically free of all makeup, except her lips were covered in a light gloss. And she had this slight glow that Brady assumed was either wonderfully natural or from some miracle cosmetic powder.  
  
"I'm okay," she turned to face him, trying not to really look at him, his light blue shirt making his eyes seem a richer blue. He was wearing his tie. That was strange. "You?"  
  
'I'm miserable. I'm lonely. I love you. I want you,' he thought to himself. "I'm fine," he sighed.  
  
"How was New York?"  
  
"New York?" He repeated her. "It was lonely," he replied truthfully.  
  
Her eyes widened slightly, not sure she heard him right. "Oh?" She looked at him, following his gaze that lead to her left hand and the ring she still wore on her finger. "Oh." She covered it with her right hand, trying to pull it off. She hadn't had the heart to take off her ring just yet and Brady hadn't asked for it back.  
  
"No, Chloe," he tried to reached for her hand but she pulled away. "No, please, keep the ring."  
  
"No," she kept tugging at it but the ring wouldn't budge. "It's your ring. You bought it, you keep it."  
  
"But I want you to have it."  
  
"Well, I don't want it," she tugged some more, her embarrassment over the situation and the fact that the damn ring wouldn't budge had her flushing with anger. She finally pulled it free, holding it out to him. She tried to calm herself, "Here."  
  
"I don't want it," he shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
"Take it," she gritted her teeth. "I don't want anything from you." Dammit, why did arguments with Brady have her feeling like she was six years old again?  
  
"Chloe, you are so stubborn," he took the ring from her open hand. His fingertips skimmed her palm causing him to involuntarily shudder, not having come into physical contact with her since that night at 'Sweet Bar.' The elevators doors swished open, and without thinking he caught a retreating Chloe's wrist. "Wait."  
  
"What?" She pulled away from his grasp and backed out of the elevator, his hand on her wrist having affected her more than she liked.  
  
Brady looked at her as he kept his finger on the elevator's "Door Open" button. Her hair was all mussed from whirling around to look at him and her cheeks were flushed. She was so beautiful. 'Say it,' he told himself. 'Say it.'  
  
"What, Brady?" She stared at him. She wanted to run. She wanted to cry. She wanted Brady to stop looking at her like that or she'd jump back into the elevator and ravage him. He looked so primed, so ready for something. His strong jaw was clenched and his blue eyes were filled with a steely determination.  
  
He took a deep breath and swallowed back his fear and his pride. "I love you, Chloe."  
  
"What," she said quickly, feeling as if the wind had been knocked out of her.  
  
"I love you." He released his finger on the button. "I'm in love with you."  
  
Chloe couldn't speak, couldn't breathe. He couldn't be. But he just said he was. They stood there staring at each other, Brady wondering what the hell was going through Chloe's mind and Chloe wondering if her heart beat any faster or harder, would it fly out of her chest? She looked down at her feet and smiled slightly, overwhelmed.  
  
Quietly, the elevator doors closed, leaving Brady alone in the elevator, and he released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He just told Chloe he loved her. He finally said it. Granted, he didn't get the reaction he hoped for. But he didn't get the reaction he was dreading either. He half expected Chloe to drop kick him in the face, spit in his ear and ground the heel of her shoe into his chest but she did no such thing. And maybe he hadn't seen right, but he could have sworn he detected a small smile gracing her lips as the elevator doors closed. Before he realized what he was doing, he found himself laughing madly in the elevator; incredibly relieved he had gotten that off of his chest. Oh he was giddy. Screw Philip. He was going after Chloe. He was going to get her to fall for him. "Love," he sang to himself. "Exciting and new." he happily sang the theme to "Love Boat" all the way up the forty floors to his office, suddenly refreshed and happy to work the rest of the day.  
  
**********************  
  
Chloe's feet moved so that she was already on her way back to 'The Sweet Bar' but her mind and her heart were still in front of that elevator where Brady had confessed his love. She hadn't said anything. Why hadn't she said anything? She was scared. She was shocked. She was overwhelmed with happiness. Something glinting in her purse caught her eye. "What's this," she murmured, pulling out the small object. "My ring," she sighed. Somehow Brady had snuck this back into her possession and she couldn't be happier. 'So what happens now?' Chloe thought to herself. 


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19:  
  
That evening.  
  
Chloe burst through the door of her apartment, sprinting for the answering machine. It was blinking! She had messages. "Breathe, Chloe, breathe," she couldn't help the jovial giggles erupting from her throat. She pressed the "play" button, holding her breath.  
  
"You have one message. Message One." Chloe groaned as Nancy's voice came through the speaker.  
  
Feeling that ball of energy burning in her tummy cool, she decided to just take a nice, warm shower and reflect on the day some more. Brady had confessed his love for her. He loved her. She hardly believed it. In fact, she almost convinced herself it was all a wonderful dream. "But it wasn't a dream," Chloe murmured to herself. "It's real." She looked to her left hand and the ring shining back at her, the ring Brady had slipped into her purse earlier today. "This is real." She couldn't stop smiling. Is this what it felt like to be in love? To love someone, really love them, and know they loved you in return? She was sure she never wanted this feeling to end. Looking at her reflection in her bathroom mirror, she boldly began a little mini striptease, shaking her shoulders, the whole bit, slowly shedding her clothing, imagining she was doing this for Brady. Knowing him, he'd probably be laughing hysterically at her by now. "Oh, Brady," she murmured, stepping into the warm cascade of water, tumbling from the showerhead. "I love you Brady. I love you," she whispered to no one. "But what happens now? Do I call you? Do I wait for you to call?" Letting the water, soak her hair and body, she thought of Brady and this passed week of missing him, longing for him and seeing him here, in Salem, this morning.  
  
[i] "Yeah." Brady blew out a breath. "I mean, granted, I want to fall in love again, but."  
  
"But you don't believe in love," Chloe finished for him.  
  
"That's not entirely true," he smiled sheepishly, blushing slightly. "I just don't think I'll ever find it.[/i]  
  
She began to lather her thick hair, pulling out a few tangles by running her fingers through it.  
  
[i] "You believe in soulmates?"  
  
"I know," he held up his hands in mock surrender. "Surprise, surprise. Contrary to popular belief, I'm really all mushy and warm and fuzzy inside. It's disgusting." He laughed.  
  
"You're a great guy, Brady," Chloe looked at him seriously. "And you'll find love and it'll be even better than it was before. You'll see."[/i]  
  
She couldn't stop smiling as she lathered the bar of soap between her hands.  
  
[i]"I love you, Chloe."  
  
"What," she said quickly, feeling as if the wind had been knocked out of her.  
  
"I love you." He released his finger on the button. "I'm in love with you."[/i]  
  
She nearly squealed with happiness but the feel of her ring slipping off of her finger and clanking onto the bathtub floor had her breath hitching in her throat. "No," she rasped. Kneeling down, she tried to see through the falling water and feel her way around for the ring. "Ahhh," she shouted as the shampoo formerly sudsing her hair, ran down her face and into her eyes. "No. my ring," she cried, not seeing it or feeling it anywhere under her searching fingers. She quickly shut off the water, ignoring the shampoo stinging her eyes. "No," she felt hot tears mix with the shampoo. "Oh G- d," she cried. Her ring was gone, down the drain, lost. Was this some kind of sign? She felt herself begin to hyperventilate.  
  
And hour and twenty minutes later, after having dug through the shower drain with a metal hanger she'd straightened out, Chloe was curled up on her couch, in gray sweats and in choking tears. Her ring was long gone. She blew her very raw, very red nose and buried her face in a couch cushion. The sound of her phone ringing brought her out of her despondent state. Chloe's body almost wracked with sobs when she let the machine pick it up and Brady's voice floated over to her guilty ears.  
  
"Chloe?. Hey Chloe. It's me Brady. If you're there, pick up." He breathed heavily into the phone. "Well, I was just at work.thinking about you. thinking about today. I meant what I said. I love you, Chloe." He chuckled. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of saying it. I hope you don't ever get tired of hearing it. Of course, if you only want friendship right now, I can handle that. I don't want to make you uncomfortable. Just." he sighed. "I hope you're not mad that I slipped your ring back in your purse, but I want you to have it. It represents so much to me. Ahhh. I'm rambling and well, I feel kind of foolish saying all of this to a phone. I'd rather be talking to your face. Besides I think my father is listening outside the door," he laughed again. "So uhh. if you want. to talk. ummm. call me later, okay?" He put down the phone with a soft click.  
  
Chloe sobbed into the cushion, the sobs shaking her body with a force that physically pained her heart. She felt so guilty. Ugh. What was she going to tell Brady?  
  
**************************  
  
Brady put down the phone and leaned back in his chair at his desk. Chloe wasn't there. Maybe he would give her a call again later. "Don't smother her, Brady," he muttered to himself. "You just told her you loved her today. Give her some time to process that."  
  
"Brady?" John stuck his head in the door.  
  
"Dad, I was just leaving." He stood and met his father at the door.  
  
"Yeah kid, you been here all day." He walked with his son to the elevators. "So you called Chloe, huh?"  
  
"Yeeessss," Brady rolled his eyes and smiled. He told his father what happened earlier and apparently, his father told everyone he knew because suddenly Brady was bombarded with congratulatory calls from Belle, Shawn, Mimi, Marlena and strangely enough, Maggie.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well what, Dad?"  
  
"Don't well 'what me,' son. What happened?"  
  
"She wasn't there."  
  
"You going to call her later?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Maybe!?"  
  
"Dad, I don't even know why I'm discussing this with you. This is none of your business," he ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"You think so huh? Well, Chloe wouldn't have even come by if I hadn't. I mean. uh.." he trailed off.  
  
"Oh no you don't," Brady's face scrunched. "What did you do, Dad?"  
  
"Nothing," John scoffed.  
  
"It all makes sense now. 'Hey son,'" Brady mocked his father. "'Get me that Pinchapenny report a.s.a.p. I have a delivery I want to be here for.'"  
  
"Do you hate me?" John gave him a sheepish smile.  
  
"No Dad," he gave him a small smile. "I don't hate you. Truth is, if you hadn't interfered, I never would have gotten the nerve to see Chloe on my own, much less tell her I'm in love with her."  
  
"Ehh. you would have gotten around to it eventually."  
  
"Yeah well. thanks for the push," he nudged his father's shoulder.  
  
"Thank your sister. She put me up to it."  
  
Brady groaned. John laughed.  
  
*************************  
  
Two Days Later. Lunch Time. Salem Place.  
  
"Oh G-d Belle, I can't find it anywhere," Chloe whined. The passed two days had consisted of ignoring all of Brady's phone calls and looking for an exact copy of the ring she lost down the drain. She was a woman possessed, on a mission. She had gone to every freaking jewelry store in Salem twice and was completely. unsuccessful.  
  
Belle groaned. It was as if Chloe was obsessed with finding this ring. She'd even made her promise not to tell Brady what was going on. She'd had to lie to her own brother. Telling him, Chloe hadn't spoken to her for a few days and that she had a lot of things going on at work. Consequently, Brady's confidence was shot. He wasn't stupid. He was being rejected, or so he thought. So, Belle was ready to tell Brady everything. Chloe was being so damn silly. "Chloe, for G-d sakes, Brady will understand that you lost the ring."  
  
"I know it," she sighed. Deep down she knew Brady wouldn't care if she lost some silly object. What they had represented more than that. That's what scared Chloe so much. If she could lose her ring that easily, so carelessly.  
  
Belle was shocked Chloe had agreed so easily. "Well then why-"  
  
"It scared me, Belle," she said simply, plopping on a bench.  
  
"I'm confused," Belle replied, shaking her head. "What scared you?" She joined Chloe on the bench.  
  
"Brady. telling me he loves me. It scared me."  
  
"But I thought that you loved him, that you were in love with him."  
  
"I am." Chloe didn't hesitate. "But what if I can't love him like he deserves to be loved? What he said to me in front of that elevator was very real. I just don't want to hurt him, Belle."  
  
"Chloe, you not returning his calls, you not going to see him: that hurts him."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Then why." Belle was at a loss as she waited for her friend to explain.  
  
Chloe felt the first few tears course down her cheeks. "You don't know what it was like. seeing my ring slip off of my fingers and just disappear down that drain. Nothing I did could bring it back to me." She wiped her face with trembling hands. "It felt like a sign."  
  
"It was an accident, Chloe. Brady will understand that."  
  
"Well I can't understand that."  
  
Belle wasn't buying this. Chloe's fear had nothing to do with a damned ring. "What's really going on here?"  
  
It was silent for a while before Chloe spoke. "I just don't want see my happiness disappear like my ring," she stared unseeingly ahead.  
  
"First of all, you haven't even given yourself a chance to be happy, Chloe. Secondly, you have to understand that loving someone is taking a risk. It's putting yourself out there; knowing that your happiness may not last but savoring it while it does. If you just do that. If you just. give yourself to the right person, you'll never regret that, Chloe, no matter what."  
  
"I just love him, Belle. I love him so much." She clung to her friend.  
  
Belle wanted to laugh, as she rubbed Chloe's back reassuringly. "Stop crying. What are you crying for? This is supposed to be happy, Chloe. Only you and Brady could make getting together about as difficult as trying to ice skate on a beach."  
  
Chloe chuckled and pulled away. "You're right about that."  
  
"Just glad to see you smiling again."  
  
"Thanks." She nodded. "This insanity has gone on long enough. I think I'm going to give Brady a call."  
  
"You won't have to." Belle grinned.  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"Because he's headed this way. I kinda called him. Bye, Chlo," she kissed her friend on the cheek and met her brother, giving him a hug before running off in the opposite direction.  
  
Brady quietly joined Chloe on the bench, uncomfortable with her eyes boring into him. He just wanted to make a clean break. The sooner he knew she wasn't interested at all, the sooner he could get over her. "Hi," he greeted her not making eye contact.  
  
"Hi. Brady." She wanted to cry. He couldn't even look at her. "How was work?"  
  
"I uhh. took the day off, hence the jeans," he gestured to his blue jeans and gave her an uneasy smile. He finally looked at her.  
  
"Oh, of course. Of course," she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.  
  
"Why have you been avoiding me?"  
  
Chloe almost broke down crying right then and there; his voice sounded so small, so defeated. "Brady, I."  
  
"Wait, wait. Don't answer that. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for freaking you out in front of the elevators on Monday," he dried his sweaty palms nervously on his thighs.  
  
"No-"  
  
"No, Chloe, no. It wasn't fair of me to do that, to say that. Damn it, I was just so incredibly happy to see you and I couldn't keep it in anymore. I never would have said it if I thought it was going to make you so uncomfortable." He paused thoughtfully. "Or maybe I would have said it anyway, I wanted to say it so badly." Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"But Brady-"  
  
"Please Chloe, let me finish." He looked at her with pleading eyes.  
  
"Okay."  
  
"I want you to know that our friendship means so much to me, Chloe. Getting to know you the past few months was incredible. To think that I somehow messed that up, I. let me make it up to you."  
  
"Brady, you don't have to do that. Brady, I." she saw that he was staring at her ringless hand.  
  
Brady swallowed. Some part of him had hoped Chloe would have wanted to wear the ring. G-d, he should have known she wouldn't be wearing it. She hadn't spoken to him in days. What else should he have expected? But it still hurt.  
  
"Brady," she spoke firmly, hoping to sway his attention away from the missing ring and only to the sound of her voice, the look in her eyes, hoping that right now it was enough for Brady to realize how much she loved him. "Would you like to go with me to Belle and Shawn's anniversary party Sunday night?"  
  
"What?" He wasn't sure he heard her right. He was expecting her to say she never wanted to see him again, not ask him out. Enigma only began to describe Chloe.  
  
"Would you like to go with me to Belle and Shawn's anniversary party," she asked again, a smile playing upon her lips.  
  
Where the hell had that come from? "Sure," he managed a weak smile in a very awkward situation. 'A pity date. Greeeeeaat,' he thought to himself.  
  
"Good," she grinned. Telling Brady she loved him would have to wait because right now, it was just too awkward, too weird, not romantic enough for Chloe's taste. She was going to make it special for him. So she decided to surprise him. He deserved nothing less. But it would take some definite planning and therefore, [i]a lot[/i] of time.  
  
"Look, Chloe, I have to run. Um. Good to see you. Pick you up at eight," he stared at her intently, wondering if he read her eyes correctly. Did he see love? Passion? Sheer happiness shining in her eyes directed at him? Or was it wishful thinking? Confused, Brady uneasily returned her grin and backed away slowly, before fully turning around and heading in the direction of his Jeep. "Gotta be wishful thinking."  
  
'Oh, Brady,' Chloe thought, as she watched him walk away. 'You are just too perfect for your own good.' Smiling, she jumped off of the bench with renewed energy. She was finally ready to stop running from happiness, and run to it instead. 


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20 aka Things Never Go As Planned  
  
Sunday. Afternoon. Five o' clock.  
  
Today was the day. At last. And tonight was the night that Chloe would finally tell Brady what she'd kept hidden in her heart for so long. She loved him, so very much and she was so very ready to start a life together. It was torture, pure torture not allowing herself to pick up the phone and call Brady the past few days leading up to the party. But she had everything planned out. First, when Brady arrived to pick her up tonight, she would invite him inside to dinner where she would have a candlelight dinner set up. Over dinner, she would finally tell Brady she loved him. Then she would serve him a chocolate truffle, where inside, she would have a simple, gold band buried for his surprise to make up for her ring she'd lost down the drain. And then she would ask an unsuspecting Brady to marry her. It was bold; she knew. But she wanted nothing more. And then, if he wanted, they'd be fashionably late for Belle and Shawn's anniversary party at Tuscany. Otherwise, she'd invite him to a little party in her bedroom and call Tuscany sending their apologies. Belle would understand.  
  
Chloe twirled the plain, gold band between her fingers as she stood in the back kitchen of 'The Sweet Bar,' over a stove of cooking wild rice and baking salmon. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the time. "Sh&t," she murmured. In three hours, Brady would be at her apartment waiting to pick her up. She still had to get home, set up dinner, pick up her dress from the cleaners and get dressed and do her hair. The cleaners would be closing in thirty minutes. She was never going to finish cooking by then. Susan had closed up the shop an hour prior. Otherwise, Chloe would have asked her to stay and watch the food. Crap.  
  
**************************  
  
Brady stood shirtless ;) in his old bedroom at the penthouse getting ready for his date with Chloe. His date with Chloe. She [i]should[/i] be in his arms and he should be making passionate love to her. Instead, she wanted to preserve their friendship with a pity date. Well, at least it was something. He'd known if she only wanted friendship from him that it would have to be enough. He would have to accept it. Hell, he should be glad she wanted anything to do with him at all. But it still hurt to think she didn't want him the way he wanted her. Rejection was never easy to handle, but coming from Chloe, it was absolutely unbearable. Brady's thoughts were interrupted by the knock at his door. "Come in."  
  
"Hey Brady."  
  
"Marlena," he gave his stepmother a warm smile. "Hey, how are you?"  
  
"I should be asking you that question," she took a seat at the edge of his bed.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Chloe," she smiled knowingly, Belle having called her and John, telling them Chloe plans for tonight. Poor Brady. Always the last to know.  
  
"Oh, her," Brady sighed and gave Marlena a small smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. You know, I'm just happy that Chloe even wants friendship from me. She means so much to me and." he felt himself blushing, never comfortable with discussing his feelings with anyone. "And well if she never wants to hear the words 'I love you' from me again, I hope she at least feels it."  
  
"Oh, Brady. I'm sure she feels your love."  
  
"Dark Blue or light blue?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Brady gestured to the two collar shirts on his bed. "Dark Blue or light blue?"  
  
Shaking her head and smiling at Brady's complete change of subject, Marlena looked to the bed where the shirts lie. "Light blue."  
  
"Tie or no tie?"  
  
"No tie."  
  
"Pass me my jacket?" He asked her as he began buttoning up his shirt.  
  
She handed him his black suit jacket and stood. "Brady, everything will work out." She gave him a small wink. She couldn't help herself. "You'll see."  
  
As Marlena quietly exited the room, Brady paused. "Did she just wink at me?"  
  
********************  
  
Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes and Brady would be at her door to pick her up. Chloe could barely keep her feet on the ground; she wanted to jump for joy so desperately. Self-assuredly, she gazed at her reflection in her bathroom mirror. Her knee length, black sleeveless dress was simple and comfortable yet sexy. There was just something about a little black dress that boosted a girl's confidence. Every woman should own one. Lightly laughing, she fastened her hair back on either side with small golden pins and adjusted her other matching jewelry. Dinner was done and ready. She'd gotten to the dry cleaners on time. And now everything was right. Tonight was going to be perfect. The shrill ringing of her phone curtly broke her string of thoughts.  
  
"Hello," she sighed happily into the phone.  
  
"Hi, is a Ms. Chloe Lane available," the gruff voice on the other end sounded.  
  
"This is she," Chloe felt a slow, steady stream of worry pool into her stomach.  
  
"This is the Salem Fire Department. There was a small fire reported in your building housing 'The Sweet Bar.' The fire's out now so no worries. Just your common gas stove fire started in the back kitchen. We'd just like you to come by take care of a few standard, precautionary procedures. Just your run of the mill kind of stuff. A few documents. Things like that."  
  
Chloe tuned him out the minute he mentioned fire and back kitchen in the same sentence. She must have forgotten to turn off the stove after finished up the dinner and bringing it home to set up here. She'd set her own shop on fire. Okay so, it had been an accident and yes, she had insurance but a fire? Oh God. "I'll. I'll be right there," she put down the phone and wordlessly grabbed her purse and ran to her car in a sort of daze. It was only until she was halfway there that she realized she'd forgotten her cell phone and that Brady was probably ringing her doorbell at this very minute. Sh&t.  
  
************************  
  
Half an hour later.  
  
Brady knocked on Chloe's apartment door for the fifth time. "Where the hell is she," he muttered under his breath. Pulling out his cell phone, he dialed her home number and listened as the phone rang ceaselessly. He did the same with her cell but to no avail. She wasn't answering either phone. Initially, he was just upset that she would forget about their plans like that but now, with him not being able to get in contact with her, he was concerned. What if she'd had a problem down at her shop? What if she broke her finger again and was sitting in the emergency room? Or worse, what if she was here in her apartment knocked out cold from having being hit over the head by some dangerous assailant that he himself could have intercepted if he'd only shown up ten minutes earlier? Thoughts like these began running through a panicking Brady's mind. "Fire escape," he shouted, jogging to the back of Chloe's building. Ungracefully, Brady began climbing the rickety, metal stairs trying not to make too much noise, it being late in the evening. He might look like a burglar or some pervert or something. "Chloe," he tapped on the glass window of her apartment, his voice barely above a whisper. "Sure Brady, she'll hear you through the glass," he muttered sardonically to himself. "Chloe!" He yelled all the while pounding on the glass. "What's that?" He narrowed his eyes, noticing the table set up for a fancy dinner for two. His face scrunched. "Maybe she stood me up," he murmured. "Oh G-d, maybe she's in there, having sex with some guy." He paused thoughtfully for a moment. "Chloe," he yelled again, beating against the glass. It was then he felt a shining spotlight from the street below cast a blinding glare in his general direction.  
  
"Get your hands where I can see them," the voice through the metronome blared.  
  
"No," Brady shouted, seeing the police cruiser. "No, you don't understand."  
  
"Hands up and away from your body sir!" The young cop looked about as nervous as anything, probably new to the force, his red hair sticking out wildly under his crooked cap, his green yes wide with fear.  
  
"Okay, okay. Just don't shoot. Please!" Brady held up his hands in surrender and watched as another cop climbed the stairs with a sleek quickness. He waited for the said cop to reach him before he spoke again. "You don't understand. This is my girlfriend's apartment. Well, she's not exactly my girlfriend, but you see, I told I loved her last week. Ahhh. this is coming out all wrong." He knew he sounded like some perv, some peeping tom but he was just so flustered.  
  
"Just don't give me any trouble, sir and I won't have to incapacitate you." The officer slowly brought up a stun gun in his trembling hand.  
  
"Incapacitate me!? What the---"  
  
"Hands behind your back," he commanded. And as Brady complied, he gathered Brady's wrists into his shaking grasp and clasped on the handcuffs.  
  
**************************  
  
Chloe sped home. After finishing up at the fire station and taking a quick peek at her shop, she was on her way back to her apartment. Brady might still be there. But regardless, she had to change her dress. Soot was sprinkled haphazardly across her face and caked in her hair. Her pins holding her hair back had conveniently disappeared. She was a mess. "What the," she murmured, pulling into her apartment complex's parking lot. Was that Brady? And was he being lead over to a police cruiser, handcuffed!? Not waiting for her car to come to a complete stop in its usual space, she jumped out and ran towards the two cops and her Brady, her heels clicking along the hard concrete. "Brady!"  
  
"Chloe," he peered through the darkness and spotted her running over to him in the dimly lit parking lot. She was alive. She was okay. "Chloe, thank G-d."  
  
"What is going on here," Chloe shouted at the two police officers.  
  
Brady took one look at her disheveled appearance. "Chloe, my G-d, what happened to you?"  
  
"Ma'am, do you know this man?" The younger officer narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Brady.  
  
"Yes, I do. Now what's going on?" She looked from one officer to the other.  
  
"Well, on our patrol we got a call that a suspicious character was snooping around the apartments, climbing up the fire escape, banging on a window. We happened to be right in the vicinity so it wasn't hard to put two and two together."  
  
"Well, let him go," Chloe sighed, finally looking at Brady. "I know him. He's not going to hurt anyone. It was a mistake."  
  
"Are you sure ma'am?"  
  
"Yes," she shouted, running a hand through her hair. Chloe watched as the officers uncuffed Brady and called back to the station that everything was now under control before driving away. She wanted to scream. She wanted to yell. She wanted to cry. The night was ruined. So now she just wanted to kick someone. Who better than Brady? "What were you doing, Brady?"  
  
"Me!? Chloe, you can't be serious! Did you not ask me to pick you up and take you to Shawn and Belle's party!? I mean, you did ask [i]me[/i], right," he sneered.  
  
"Yes, but-"  
  
"Well, then where the hell were you!? I was worried sick, Chloe! You know, wait! Don't answer that! You could care less that I worry about you, couldn't you!?"  
  
"What?" What the hell was he rambling about? If anyone should be upset, she should dammit!  
  
"Yeah, yeah. On Monday, I declare my love for you, right? I mean I put it [i]all[/i] out there. Damn my pride to hell and say what's in my heart. And what do you do? You run. Oh ho ho," he laughed madly. "Big surprise, big surprise. Not a stinking phone call, not an e-mail, not a damn letter saying 'F&ck off Brady!'"  
  
"Shut up!" Chloe wanted to deck him. Wasn't he the one that had run off to New York only two weeks prior?  
  
"Do you even know how to pick up a phone and call somebody, Chloe? Let me show you how it's done," he took his cell phone out of his pocket and held it up for her to see, suddenly changing his voice to that usually reserved for three year olds. "See these little numbers here, you just---"  
  
"Knock it off, Brady!"  
  
"Too complicated for you!?" His tone was harsh once again. "Okay try this, next time your phone rings, answer it! It's really simple, Chloe and- "  
  
"I love you!"  
  
"It keeps [i]me[/i] from worrying sick about [i]you[/i], and.What?" Had he heard her right? 


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21:  
  
"Do you even know how to pick up a phone and call somebody, Chloe? Let me show you how it's done," he took his cell phone out of his pocket and held it up for her to see, suddenly changing his voice to that usually reserved for three year olds. "See these little numbers here, you just---"  
  
"Knock it off, Brady!"  
  
"Too complicated for you!?" His tone was harsh once again. "Okay try this, next time your phone rings, answer it! It's really simple, Chloe and- "  
  
"I love you!"  
  
"It keeps [i]me[/i] from worrying sick about [i]you[/i], and.What?" Had he heard her right?  
  
"I. Love. You," she punctuated each word with deliberate slowness, a slow smile adorning her face. "I'm in love with you. Okay? So shut up."  
  
"But." he swallowed audibly, shaking his head in disbelief. All was silent for quite awhile. The only sound was a rumbling thunder that could be heard in the distance. Chloe couldn't believe how easy it was to say it; Brady couldn't believe he'd even heard right. "Am I dreaming?" A light rain began to fall from an ever-darkening sky.  
  
"No," she whispered, smiling. Saying those words to him was like a weight lifting off of her shoulders. She'd never said anything truer or purer in her entire life. "No you're not dreaming. I love you. you big dope."  
  
He chuckled, still not believing this was happening, wanting to touch her and make it real. "I love you too, Chloe." He awkwardly pulled her body to him. "This is weird."  
  
"I know," she ran a hand over his cheek and through his hair. "But nothing has ever felt so right." Belle was right: there was nothing so wonderful as giving yourself to the right person. She leaned up and brought her lips to his, brushing from side to side, feeling Brady shudder under her caress and the lightly falling rain covering their bodies.  
  
Brady moaned. She'd initiated these soft, gentle kisses that were about to be the death of him. The scent of her and the smell of the fresh rain pounding lightly on the concrete intoxicated him. Her words, her kisses, her touch encouraged him. So he deepened the kiss, demanding more from her mouth with his. He was desperate for her; he'd gone without her for far too long.  
  
Chloe's knees buckled as the rain picked up, the drops falling harder and faster. But she couldn't think, couldn't see, couldn't breathe. All she could do was feel, feel Brady's arms wrapped securely around her body, his mouth moving urgently over hers, his tongue working magic in her mouth and the simple way his hands grazed up and down the nape of her neck. She felt as if she was floating; her skin tingled, her toes curled, her heart swelled. "Brady," she breathed, panting slightly, trying to catch her breath. His mouth moved to her neck, causing Chloe to moan and wonder if she'd ever be able to think clearly again. "Brady, please," she begged.  
  
He pulled away from her, keeping his arms around her waist. "What? What is it," he leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, trying to hear her out and override the desire pumping through his veins.  
  
"Brady, make love to me please. Make love to me," she whispered, tightening her hold on him.  
  
"Now?"  
  
"Yes," running her hands through his hair.  
  
"But we're outside," he teased, pulling back slightly to look at her.  
  
"You know what I mean," she said seriously, gesturing to the apartments behind them.  
  
"I do," he nodded, taking off his black jacket and tossing it over his shoulder.  
  
"What are you doing?" She smiled at him as he began walking backwards and whistling 'Singing in the Rain,' the rain drenching them both.  
  
Brady grinned. "Come here." She obliged and he pulled her flush against him. Laying his jacket over her shoulders, he held her and swayed with her, dancing to some imaginary melody apparently only he could hear.  
  
"You're crazy," she looked at him in wonder.  
  
"'Bout you." He leaned down and kissed her nose.  
  
She chuckled softly. "That's nice to know." Thunder rumbled in the distance.  
  
"Shhhhhh." Brady brought his finger to her lips. "Hear that?"  
  
"No," Chloe beamed, kissing the pad of his finger that rested lightly on her lips.  
  
Brady pretended to strain to hear something. "It's. it's God."  
  
"Wh-what?" Chloe laughed lightly.  
  
"Yes, God and do you know what he's saying?"  
  
"What is he saying, Brady," Chloe smiled, shaking her head.  
  
"He says." Brady leaned in closer. "Last one to your apartment is a rotten egg." He turned around and ran wildly towards her place, causing Chloe to erupt in hysterical laughter.  
  
She watched him run off in the rain for a few moments more before joining him in pursuit. "Brady," she shouted over the pouring rain as lightning flashed, streaking across the sky in a brilliant purple color.  
  
They made it to her door, Brady first but both out of breath. They were silent, both knowing what was going to happen tonight as Chloe began digging into her purse for her keys. Never feeling emotionally closer to anyone in his life, Brady felt the strongest urge to get as physically close to her as possible as well. It was the strangest, most frustrating and most wonderful thing in the world. Burying his face into her hair, he nuzzled her neck as he waited for her to find her keys. "Does this mean I get to sleep in your bed now?"  
  
"No way." She unlocked and swung her door open.  
  
"What?" Brady laughed.  
  
"Brady," she pulled him inside and into a soft kiss. "The last thing we'll be doing is sleeping," the corners of her mouth turning into a seductive smile.  
  
Brady chuckled. "Oh we'll see about that, Chloe. You see I plan on doing this right the first time around."  
  
"Oh do you now," she teased.  
  
"Yes, I do I." he trailed off, something over her shoulder catching his eye. "The dinner," he walked further into her home, gesturing to the table set up for two.  
  
"Oh, Brady, tell me you're not actually hungry for food." She ran a hand through her hair and followed him to the table.  
  
"No," he chuckled. "No, it's just. Chloe, you planned this for me. For us." He couldn't take his eyes off of the table, feeling incredibly special and wanted. Is that why Marlena had winked at him earlier this evening? Had everyone known about this but him? Had everyone let him think he had lost Chloe just so the two of them could have tonight? He was flattered, strangely enough.  
  
"Yes," she sighed, wrapping her arms around a stunned Brady's waist. "That's what tonight was all about, I." she blew out a breath, laying her head against his body. "I had it all planned out. We were supposed to have a candlelight dinner. And I was finally going to tell you I love you, like I've wanted to do for so long. longer than I even remember." She smiled against Brady's chest as he shook his head disbelievingly. "But then I get this call from the fire department that my shop's on fire but it's 'under control,' ma'am,'" she mocked the fireman. "So I leave and [i]forget[/i] my cell phone," she glared at him. He blushed. "And I come back home to change my dress to see you being hauled away by the cops."  
  
"Are you okay?" He asked as he smoothed her hair back, the light coming in the kitchen giving him the first good view of her face streaked with soot.  
  
"Yes," she barely got out, overwhelmed by the look in his eyes. He gazed at her with eyes so full of concern and caring and love that she hadn't even noticed until he had professed his love for her in front of the Basic Black elevators only a week ago. And then it was like a door flying open. And suddenly she could feel his love and see it and think back to all of the times he'd looked at her the way he was looking at her now.  
  
"Sweet Bar. Is it okay?"  
  
"Yes," she pulled away from him, feeling a little besieged. "Just a small kitchen fire. Everything is fine." Chloe paused thoughtfully. "Well. not everything." she glanced at him. "I lost the ring, Brady. When I was showering that afternoon you'd given it back to me, it slipped off of my fingers and down the drain. I cried for hours."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" He soothingly stroked her face with the back of the hand.  
  
"I was scared... about a lot of things," she finally admitted. "I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to love you like you deserved, that somehow our happiness would disappear. like the ring."  
  
"And are you scared now?" He searched her face, never faltering from his light caresses to her soft skin.  
  
"No, not anymore," she gave him a small smile. "I wanted to find it though, just the same." She grabbed his hand and placed a delicate kiss on his palm. "Did you know that I spent two days scouring the streets of Salem, looking for that damned ring?"  
  
"Oh so it's a damned ring now?" Brady teased her.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I couldn't find it. There's not another ring in Salem like it. Not one."  
  
"It was special, unique, Chloe, just like you. But it is replaceable. You, on the other hand, are not." Brady took in Chloe's appearance and thought about tonight and what she'd told him, all that'd they been through just to find their way to each other; and he couldn't help but fall into a soft laughter.  
  
"What is so funny," she crossed her arms across her chest defensively, trying to be mad at him, but loving the sound of his contagious laughter in the house again. She had missed him.  
  
"Nothing it's just." he trailed off, unable to look at her without laughing. She looked like she had crawled out of some hole in the ground, with the way that soot had smudged onto parts of her face.  
  
"What!?"  
  
He was never very good at saying how he felt when it came to romantic things like love and forever and he hated that about himself. Chloe deserved poems and flowers and declarations of love and devotion. But hell, actions spoke louder than words anyway right? He would make her feel his love. Without another word, he picked up a white, cloth napkin from the table and dipped it's corner into one of the goblets of water, before bringing it up to her face. Holding her chin tenderly in his hands, he lightly ran the napkin along her face, steadily wiping off the soot that had caked onto her cheek. For minutes, they stood there, Brady continually dipping the napkin back into the cool water and wiping away the dirt on her face. This simple action was everything to Chloe. It was as if it represented his love for her. The soot on her face had been the condition her heart was in before Brady had come and in and easily wiped all the hurt and pain away. At some point, she didn't know when, tears began to course down her raw cheeks. Brady merely wiped those away too with the pads of his thumbs. "Okay?" He asked her.  
  
She nodded silently and watched as he leaned in and his lips descended on hers. Their kiss was gentle and soothing as his mouth moved slowly over hers. Chloe thought she might go insane if he didn't stop torturing her with these soft, understated kisses. Pressing herself against him and deepening the kiss, Chloe kicked off her shoes. Brady lifted Chloe into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist in one swift motion. Taking it as his cue and never removing his lips from her body, he made his way over to the bedroom, where they made love, each hoping never to forget this night, each knowing they never would.  
  
**********************  
  
Chloe stirred in her sleep, the sound of something coming from outside of her bedroom waking her up. She'd noticed Brady's warm body was absent from their bed; it was their bed now. "Three am," she muttered as she glanced at the clock. Pulling her pink, silk robe around her body, she padded to the kitchen. "Hey," she watched as Brady pulled a bowl of the wild rice she'd cooked yesterday from the microwave.  
  
"Hey." He pulled her close to him and took in a spoonful of rice. "I got hungry."  
  
"You're always hungry," she chuckled and wrapped her arms around his waist.  
  
"But you wouldn't have me any other way," he nuzzled her neck and placed a soft kiss behind her ear before pulling back to take in another spoonful of rice. "Here," he held a spoonful up to her lips.  
  
"Brady." she tried to pull away.  
  
"Chloe, I want to feed you. Please?" He pouted.  
  
She suddenly got an idea, remembering the ring she'd hidden in the truffles yesterday. "Only if you let me feed you dessert."  
  
"Deal." He eased the spoon into her open mouth and watched in fascination as she chewed and savored the taste of the seasoned rice. The sight of her mouth moving and her tongue peeking out of her mouth to lick her lips did him in. "Chloe," he moaned and crushed his lips to hers, dropping the bowl of rice onto the kitchen counter.  
  
"Hey," she protested, tearing her lips away. "You tell Brady Jr. to relax for a few seconds." She patted the crotch of his boxers. "You need dessert." She brought each of the first three truffles to his waiting mouth and watched as he gobbled each of them down. Taking the forth and final truffle between her fingers, Chloe grinned, knowing this was [b]the[/b] one. She'd decorated the top a little different to be sure. She nearly squealed when she saw him take it into his mouth and chew, clearing his throat a bit as he swallowed. "Well?" She looked up at him, expecting him to pull the ring from his mouth.  
  
"They were delicious." He kissed her. "You're delicious."  
  
"Brady!" She pushed him away a bit.  
  
"What?"  
  
She couldn't believe it. He'd eaten it. Was he even aware of the concept of chewing food? "I put a ring in that last truffle for you, a gold band, and you ate it."  
  
"A gold. But." It dawned on him. "You were going to ask me to marry you?"  
  
"Yes, but because you inhale any and all food you come in contact with, your ring is now sitting in there," she poked his stomach and pulled away from him.  
  
"Oops," he smiled uneasily and leaned against the counter, feeling awful for ruining the moment. "What is it about us and rings?" He joked as he watched her sink into a chair at the kitchen table. "Hey look on the bright side: at least we know where this ring is headed." Chloe only groaned, letting her forehead fall to the kitchen table. Something in the kitchen cabinet caught Brady's eye. "Hmm."  
  
Hearing him rummaging through the cabinet, she lifted her head from the table. "Brady, what are you doing?" Her eyes widened as he emptied a large bag of CrackerJacks onto her kitchen table. "Brady! You're making a mess."  
  
"Just relax Chloe." He sifted through the caramelized popcorn some more and finally pulled out a small plastic package, ripping it open and removing a blue object. "This is all for a good cause," he kneeled before her, taking her left hand in his.  
  
"Oh my God, yes," she breathed out, realizing what he was doing.  
  
"Chloe, I haven't even asked yet." He chuckled.  
  
"Well, Brady what are you waiting for?" She brought her other hand to the side of his head, burying her fingers in his hair.  
  
"For the right words," he gave her a small smile. "Did you know that yesterday was our anniversary?"  
  
"It was?" Her brow furrowed.  
  
"In a way, yes. I met you six, long years ago at Belle and Shawn's wedding reception. It's crazy because I barely remembering meeting you at all." He traced her lips with his finger, marveling at the feel of them under his touch.  
  
"Same here," Chloe smiled and kissed the pad of his finger as it ran along her lips.  
  
"So okay, we didn't exactly have the most memorable start. And we didn't exactly like each other when we met up again a few months ago."  
  
"You can say that again."  
  
He chuckled. "So we're not exactly the most traditional love story ever told. So what?" He slid the plastic, blue ring onto her finger.  
  
"So what," Chloe repeated him and felt her eyes fill up with happy tears.  
  
He smoothed her hair back and placed a delicate kiss on her nose. "Chloe, I love you. Will you marry me?"  
  
"Yes, Brady," she flung herself into his arms and cried into his chest, pushing him to the ground. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes." She sat up, straddling him and running her hands over his hair, melting at the sight of him smiling up at her innocently.  
  
"That ring is only temporary, you know?"  
  
"I don't know. I kinda like it," Chloe smiled admiring the plastic ring on her finger.  
  
"Okay, well we won't bother going ring shopping later today then. Good, that'll save me at least a few thousand dollars."  
  
"Brady!" She lightly punched his stomach.  
  
"Diva, I'm kidding." He ran his hands along the outside of her thighs.  
  
She began tracing small circles along his chest. "Guess what I'm going to make you?"  
  
"Ummm. chocolate, chocolate chip cookies?" He grinned up at her.  
  
"If you like," she leaned down and kissed his lips softly.  
  
"I do like," he deepened the kiss, grasping the nape of her neck and pulling her closer. "Ohhh.Chloe, Chloe, Chloe, Chloe." he moaned as she began placing soft, wet kisses down the length of his chest. "You've just got it."  
  
"What have I got Brady? Besides your heart?" She gave him a bright smile, wondering what he was babbling about.  
  
"The touch, Chloe. The chocolate touch."  
  
  
  
  
  
The End! :p 


End file.
